The African Rice Gall Midge (AfRGM), Orseolia oryzivora is one of the major insect pests in Africa including Uganda. Yield losses of up to 100 % are attributed to the AfRGM in different rice growing regions, especially in lowland and irrigated. Some sources of resistance to AfRGM have be developed in West Africa but none of the varieties grown in Uganda is resistant. This study was aimed identifying genotypes with resistance to AfRGM for introgression in the Ugandan locally adapted but susceptible genotypes. Twenty collected genotypes were evaluated in both field and screen house condition in randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences (P<0.001) in genotypic variation against AfRGM indicating high genetic diversity among the tested genotypes. Tillers number, percentage hill infestation and tillers damage, number of gall midge and galls, days to flowering and grain yield were highly variable among genotypes. Overall, four genotypes: NERICA-6, NERICA-4, NERICA-1 and METP-7 consistently showed resistance in both screen and field evaluations. The overall results indicated that these genotypes were identified as potential sources of AfRGM resistance and can be utilized in the Ugandan rice breeding programme to introgress AfRGM resistance into susceptible local rice varieties.

Keywords: Infestation, Genetic diversity, Screening, Introgress