Abstract

The present study evaluated the resistance of 7 varieties of the broad bean Vicia faba L. to cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, 1854. These landraces from the region of Biskra (in the south of Algeria) were selected in an initial field trial and subjected to further testing in the greenhouse. Landrace V51 proved to be the most interesting, in that it resisted aphid attack by mechanisms involving tolerance and antibiosis. Aphid infestation of this landrace resulted in a dry weight loss of only 3.09% (comparison with uninfested plants). The antibiotic resistance of this landrace also significantly decreased the biological potential of the cowpea aphid. In addition to the agronomic and heritage value, some of the landraces of the Biskra region displayed tolerance and antibiosis characteristics suggesting that they might serve as an important genetic resource in future bean selection programs. All tested landraces are attractive to A. craccivora but only this preference is marked more for varieties V23 and V24.

Key words: Bean, Aphis craccivora, land varieties, tolerance, resistance to deleterious factors.