ABSTRACT
Based on the results of studies on varietal screening, antixenosis (egg laying preference) and antibiosis (larval survival and adult emergence), rice varieties W1263 and CO43 were selected as resistant and susceptible parents, respectively, for yellow stemborer (YSB) infestation. A mapping population was developed using above parents following single seed descent method. Screening for YSB reaction in F1 and F2, generations under field and glasshouse conditions for both dead hearts and white ears, established the polygenic nature of inheritance for YSB resistance. Field screening for YSB resistance at F9 generation revealed the difference in the reactions among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) between vegetative and reproductive stages. The experiments under field and glasshouse screening of RILs for dead hearts showed significant positive association. However, the reaction was more towards susceptibility in glasshouse screening due to no choice test. Scoring of 250 RILs (F8) for various morphological traits showed wide range of variation indicating the suitability for QTL mapping.