Studies on Pod Infesting Insect Pest Complex of Pigeonpea, (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) and Their Control with Insecticides and Biopesticides
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Date
2013
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JNKVV
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Pigeonpea crop accounts ~5% of global acreage (4.16 million ha) and production (2.85 million tonnes), of which Asia is nearly the sole contributor (Ahlawat et al., 2005). In India pigeonpea occupies an area of about 4.42 million ha with a total production of 2.89 million tonnes with productivity of 655 kg/ha (Anonymous, 2011). In the country, the crop is extensively grown in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
In Madhya Pradesh, pigeonpea is cultivated in an area of about 0.32 million hectare with a production and productivity of 0.26 million tonnes and 808 kg/ha, respectively and contributes about 11.41% of the total pigeonpea production in India (Mula et al., 2010). Abiotic and biotic stresses are the most limiting factors in pigeonpea production. Among the biotic pressures, large number of insect pests have been identified to infest pigeonpea. The low yields of pigeonpea crop are due to pod borer complex and physiological shriveling.
Studies on insect pest complex and their natural enemies in three diverse crop habitats i.e. sole pigeonpea PP, pigeonpea bordered with maize PP+M and pigeonpea bordered with sorghum PP+S respectively revealed that the following insect pests were the major pests which damaged the pigeonpea crop.
Jassid, Empoasca fabae Harris (Hemiptera : Cicadellidae); Leaf webber, Grapholita critica Myer. (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae); Cow bug, Otinotus oneratus W. (Hemiptera : Membracidae); Thrips, Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall (Thysanoptera : Thripidae); Green stink bug, Nezara viridula Linn. (Hemiptera : Pentatomidae); Pod fly, Melanagromyza obtusa Malloch (Diptera : Agromyzidae); Pod bug, Clavigralla gibbosa Spinola (Hemiptera : Coreidae); Gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hub. (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae); and Red gram plume moth, Exelastis atomosa Walsingham (Lepidoptera : Pterophoridae).
Among them jassid and leaf webber, appeared when the crop age was about 55 days old i.e. during vegetative stage and remained available upto the maturity and reproductive stage of the crop respectively. Cow bug was the next insect pest to appear when the crop age was about 83 days old i.e. vegetative stage and remained available upto reproductive stage of the crop. The next group of insects to appear on the crop was thrips, green stink bug, pod fly, pod bug, gram pod borer and red gram plume moth respectively. These appeared when the crop age was about 125-132 days old i.e. at reproductive stage and remained available upto the maturity of the crop. These pests were the major key pests which caused colossal yield losses. The natural enemies observed were lady bird beetle and parasitic wasp Cotessia (= Apanteles) sp. which remained active from vegetative and reproductive stage and continued upto maturity stage of the crop, respectively.
Diversification of crop habitat significantly influenced the incidence of pod infesting pest complex. Pigeonpea bordered with maize (PP-M) was found to be most promising as it recorded minimum grain damage against pod infesting pest complex and registered highest grain yield, followed by pigeonpea bordered with sorghum fodder (PP-S) and sole pigeonpea (PP), respectively.