Guru GyaanAgroStar Agronomy Centre of Excellence
Know and identify: pigeon pea pod borers and do control
Most of the farmers will have pigeon pea crop in flowering/ pod formation stage.
At this stage, four types of caterpillars are damaging to flowers & pods.
Green pod borer (Helicoverpa) is known to the farmers; these caterpillars burrow the pods and feed on growing seeds. Sometimes, also damaging to flowers.
Pod fly larva enters into the pods and feed seeds by making holes on them.
Larva of plume moth initially scrapes the pods and later enters into pods damaging to seeds.
Spotted caterpillar making a bunch of flowers & pods and feeds on the seeds.
Damage is so severe in late maturing varieties.
Cluster type of pod’s setting varieties is more prevalent to damage by these larvae.
Install pheromone traps for green pod borer at flowering stage,
Arrange at least one light trap in field on initiation of flowering.
Spray neem base pesticides on initiation of pests.
If available, spray HaNPV for green caterpillar control.
Spray Bt powder (bacterial base) @ 15 g or Bouveria bassiana (fungus base) @ 40 g per 10 lit of water and take advantage of biopesticides.
On increasing the damage, spray emamectin benzoate 5 SG @ 3 g or thiodicarb 75 WP @ 20 g or chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 3 ml or flubendiamide 20 WG @ 5 g or chlorpyriphos 50% + cypermethrin 5% EC @ 10 ml or profenophos 40% + cypermethrin 4% EC @ 10 ml per 10 lit of water and get protection against these pod borers.
Change insecticides at each spray.
Do not spray monocrotophos on crop, if it is grown for green vegetable purpose.