SAWFLY RESISTANCE IN WHEAT: II. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHEAT GROWN IN THE GREENHOUSE AND ON IRRIGATED LAND

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Abstract
The resistance of seven varieties of wheat to the wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Nort.) was tested in the greenhouse and on irrigated plots. In five of the seven varieties tested, namely, Rescue, H46146, Golden Ball, Red Bobs and Thatcher, the percentage of infested stems that were cut by sawflies was significantly higher in plants grown in the greenhouse in either summer or winter than in plants grown under irrigation in the field. In the other two varieties, H4191 and Melanopus, results were similar but the differences were not significant. This lower resistance of plants grown in the greenhouse was associated with a decrease in the percentage of tunnelled stems in which the older larvae had died. In percentage of infested stems cut, no significant differences were found between the varieties grown in the outdoor soil bins and those on adjacent irrigated land. In other 2-year tests on irrigated land, the variable resistance of wheat was apparently associated with variations in percentage of tunnelled stems in which the older larvae had died. Although stem solidness is usually associated with resistance on dry land, it appears that this characteristic alone cannot be relied on as a measure of sawfly resistance in a given variety when grown in diverse environments.

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