Performance of soybean cultivars and lines in relation to H. indicata was studied under field and screen house conditions. Differences in the number of points of attack (characterized by the rolling or junction of the folioles by means of silk secretion) were evaluated in PI 227687, IAC 73-228, IAC 79-1823, 'Santa Rosa', IAC 80-596-2, 'IAC 12', 'IAC 8', IAC 78-2318, D 72-9601-1, PI 171451, 'IAC São Carlos' and PI 229358; in both, field and screen house conditions, IAC 73-228 and PI 229358 showed, respectively, the lowest and the highest values. In the field, PI 227687 and IAC 73-228 presented low defoliation, while 'IAC São Carlos', PI 171451 and PI 229358 were highly defoliated. In another field experiment with PI 274454, PI 274453, IAC 73-228, 'IAC 12', IAC 80-596-2, 'UFV-1', IAC 78-2318 and 'Paraná', the first two varieties were highly resistant to H indicata The level of resistance of the PI's was superior to that of IAC 73-228. 'Paraná' was the most susceptible variety. Under field conditions, in an area of selection of F2 plants descendents of crosses between 'Paraná' and PI 274453, 63 plants were evaluated in relation to the eaten leaf area; the results suggest that the PI 274453 resistance to H. indicata is inherited in this cross as dominant simple, being possible to transfer it to commercial varieties.
soybean; Glycine max (L.) Merrill; plant resistance; Hedilepta indicata (Fabr), 1775)