Impact of Abiotic Factors on Population Fluctuation of Major Pod Borers in Black Gram under Western U.P. Conditions

Abstract

Background: Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) is the member of Asian Vigna crop group and also known as urdbean grown in spring and Kharif season in the Indian subcontinent. It is the fourth most important short-duration pulse crop grown in India. Black gram crop is attacked by a number of insect pests from sowing to harvest in the field as well as in storage condition. Among these insect-pests pod borers i.e. spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) and gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) are serious insect-pests of black gram causing seed and pod damage. Therefore, keeping these views in mind, the present study aimed to study the population fluctuation of major pod borers (M. vitrata and H. armigera) in black gram. Methods: The research trials were conducted during two consecutive years i.e. Kharif, 2018 and 2019 at CRC of SVPUAT, Meerut to observe the population dynamics of major pod borers in black gram. A plot size of 200 m2 with black gram variety ‘Pant Urd-31’ was sown manually 5-7 cm deep on 18 August, 2018 for the first year experiment and on 20 August, 2019 for the second year experiment, by following standard agronomical practices and the crop was maintained without insecticide application. Result: The study on the seasonal incidence of pod borers viz., M. vitrata and H. armigera start from 39th to 44th standard week and both the larvae attain their peak in 41st and 42nd standard week during Kharif, 2018 and 2019.