ABSTRACT In the present study it is hypothesized that the germplasm of popcorn of tropical regions shows resistance to FAW, and the multivariate analysis can characterize the main traits of this resistance. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify key traits used to select fall armyworm resistance in popcorn by using factor and cluster analyses. Sixteen biological traits were evaluated at larval and pupae stages: total number of armyworm, time larval period, final mass of caterpillars, total mass of caterpillars, mean mass of caterpillars, pupae period, mass of pupae and some indices used to evaluate the food consumed by the caterpillars. Multicollinearity diagnosis, factor and canonical analysis, and the genetic divergence among the genotypes were performed to implement multivariate analysis. The groups were established according to Mojena (1977). After multicollinearity test, only five traits were retained for further analysis. The factor analysis divided the five traits into two factors: the first factor included time larval period, metabolized food and mass of pupae; the second was composed of total number of armyworm and stool mass. Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) grouped the eighteen genotypes in three clusters. The present study provides insights of popcorn resistance to fall armyworm, and the multivariate analytical approach used here is directly applicable to any species and set of traits exhibiting correlation.

RESUMO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar genótipos de milho pipoca para resistência à lagarta-do-cartucho, Spodoptera frugiperda. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 30 repetições. Foram avaliados os genótipos de milho pipoca Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Beija-Flor, Colombiana, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, Ufvm Barão Viçosa, Vanin, Viviane e Zapalote Chico. Larvas recém-eclodidas foram individualizadas para avaliação do desenvolvimento biológico e consumo alimentar. Os dados foram submetidos à análise multivariada de variância e a divergência genética entre genótipos foi avaliada através dos métodos de agrupamento de Tocher, com base na distância generalizada de Mahalanobis e análise de variáveis canônicas. Sete genótipos,Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Composto Chico, CompostoGaúcha, Márcia, Mateus e Viviane formaram um cluster (cluster I) que apresentaram antibiose com o mecanismo de resistência à praga. Os genótipos do cluster I e Zapalote Chico podem ser usados para empilhar genes para resistência por antibiose e não-preferência.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate popcorn genotypes for resistance to the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. The experiment used a completely randomized design with 30 replicates. The popcorn genotypes Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Beija-Flor, Colombiana, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, Ufvm Barão Viçosa, Vanin, and Viviane were evaluated,along with the common maize variety Zapalote Chico. Newly hatched fall armyworm larvae were individually assessed with regard to biological development and consumption of food. The data were subjected to multivariate analyses of variance and genetic divergence among genotypes was evaluated through the clustering methods of Tocher based on generalized Mahalanobis distances and canonical variable analyses. Seven popcorn genotypes, namely, Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, and Viviane,were shown to form a cluster (cluster I) that had antibiosis as the mechanism of resistance to the pest. Cluster I genotypes and the Zapalote Chico genotype could be used for stacking genes for antibiosis and non-preference resistance.