Do bottom-up effects (resistance) of different accessions of Indian cherry (Cordia myxa L.) help against tingid bug [Dictyla cheriani (Drake)] attack?

The  tingid  bug,  Dictyla  cheriani  (Drake)  [Hemiptera:  Tingidae]  is  an important pest of Indian cherry (Cordia myxa L.), leading to significant losses in yield in the hot arid agro-climate of India. The objectives of this study were to identify and categorize sources of resistance in India cherry accessions to D.  cheriani  from  the  arid  region  of  India.  We  found  that:  three  accessions were  resistant;  3  accessions  were  moderately  resistant;  2  accessions  were moderately  susceptible;  2  accessions  were susceptible  and  three  accessions were  highly  susceptible  to  D.  cheriani  infestation.  Free  amino  acid  had 
positive  correlation  with  infestation,  whereas  phenols,  tannin,  alkaloid  and flavonoid contents had significant negative correlation with infestation. The infestation  had  significant  negative  correlation  with  leaf  length  and  width. Phenols and flavonoid contents explained (96.9 and 96.1%, respectively) of the total variation in bug infestation and in bug density per leaf. One principal component  was  extracted  explaining  cumulative  variation  of  90.07%  in infestation. The flavonoid, alkaloid, tannins, phenols content, roughness and hairyness were the novel antibiosis and antixenotic characters found in Indian cherry  accessions,  which  were  resistant  to  D.  cheriani.  Growers  can  adopt potential  accessions  of  Indian  cherry  (Cordia  myxa  L.)  as identified  for resistance (AHCM-22-1, AHCM-25 and AHCM-34 accessions) with minimal financial investment for obtaining higher yields. The bio-physical traits linked to  resistance  of  Indian  cherry  against  D.  cheriani  could  be  used  as  marker 
traits in plant breeding programmes to develop resistant cultivars.