Incidence, bionomics and management of spotted pod borer [<italic>Maruca vitrata</italic> (Geyer)] in major pulse crops in India-A review

Abstract

Spotted pod borer is one of the major biotic constraint for pulses production which can cause damage to the economic plant parts such as flower buds, flowers and pods. The larvae feeds on 39 host species of legume crops. The seasonal incidence of spotted pod borer differed from crop to crop and season to season. However, the peak incidence of larvae was observed at flowering and pod development stage in different pulse crops. Female moths lays flat scaly eggs on floral buds, flowers, leaves, leaf axils, terminal shoots and tender pods. Larvae are translucent with dark brown spots on each segment and larval period lasted from 11 to 21 days and the duration of total life cycle varied from 27 to 36 days on different hosts. The efficacy of chemical insecticides belonging to different groups against spotted pod borer was well established on different pulse crops. Neem products such as neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) or neem oil and biocides like &lt;italic&gt;Bacillus thuringiensis&lt;/italic&gt; (Bt) showed different levels of efficacy on different crops.

Field evaluation of biocontrol agents and biopesticides against spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Geyer) on lablab

“…India is the major pulse growing country in the world, sharing 35 to 36 per cent area with 27 to 28 per cent pulse production. It is producing 12 to 14 million tonnes of pulses from 22 to 24 million ha of land (Mahalakshmi et al, 2016). The commonly grown major pulse crops in India are pigeonpea, mungbean, urdbean, chickpea, horsegram, cowpea and some of the minor pulse crops are drybean, mothbean, lathyrus, lentil and peas.…”

Resistance Level of Mung Bean Genotypes to Pod Borer Maruca testulalis Geyer

“…The use of commercial Bacillus thuringiensis (Turicide HP) and Azadiractin (neem seed extract solution) could be recomended for environmental safety though their effectiveness was lower than synthetic insecticide (Indiati, 2007). Neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) or neem oil and bioinsecticides like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) showed different levels of efficacy on pod borer in different crops (Mahalakshmi et al 2016). The popular biopesticide NPV is known for high epizootic levels, is naturally occurring, self-Resistance Level of Mung Bean Genotypes to Pod Borer Maruca testulalis Geyer perpetuating, safe to natural enemies and environmental friendly, because of its obligate nature and host specificity (Erayya et al 2013).…”

Efficacy of commercial insecticides for cowpea pod borer (Maruca vitrata F.) management in Pokhara, Nepal

“…Its production is estimated to be 9186 metric tons from an area of 6752 ha in Nepal (MoAD, 2017). Its production is limited by several constraints, mainly biotic pressure from insect pests and diseases (Mahalakshmi et al, 2016). There are about 21 insect pests of different groups which are recorded to damage cowpea crop from germination to maturity (Choudhary et al, 2017;Dhakal et al, 2018).…”

“…The pod borer larvae attack on flower buds, flowers, green pods and seeds of cowpea and damage them reducing overall production (Mahalakshmi et al, 2016). Grain yield loss of legumes is estimated to be 20 to 60% in India due to Maruca vitrata Fabricious (Singh & Allen, 1980).…”