Relative Abundance of Legume Pod Borer, Maruca vitrata
Geyer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Pigeonpea and its
Relationship with Weather Parameters
-
Author:S. Sampathkumar and C. Durairaj
p-ISSN:0024-9602, e-ISSN:2582-5321, Vol:102, Issue:jan-mar
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.001069
Abstract
Legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Geyer is one of the serious pests occurring during
flowering and pod formation stage of pigeonpea. Relative abundance of M. vitrata studied in
pigeonpea variety, CORG 7 during Kharif and Rabi seasons of 2011 and 2012 at Department of
Pulses, TNAU, Coimbatore revealed that in 2011, the first peak incidence was during 34th SMW
(IV week of August) and 36th (I week of September) SMW as 4.44 and 3.68 webbings/ plant
respectively followed by the second peak during 50 (II week of December) and 52 nd (IV week
of December) SMWs as 9.38 and 5.72 webbings per plant respectively. In 2012, on 50 and 52 nd
SMWs (II and IV weeks of December) the peak incidence of 6.21 and 5.10 webbings per plant
were recorded respectively. The larval incidence showed a significant negative correlation
with maximum temperature (r=0.455*), sunshine hours (r=0.382*) and evaporation (r=402*)
and positive correlation with minimum relative humidity (RH) (r=0.399*) and rainfall (r=0.463*).
Regression analysis showed all abiotic factors together determine the variation in Maruca
damage by 61.4 per cent (R 2 = 0.614).
Key words : Legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata, Pigeonpea, Relative abundance, Weather parameters