Impact of weather parameters on pod borer, phytophthora blight and wilt incidence in Pigeonpea and their management
Ashish Kumar Tripathi
Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh) is the second most important pulse crop in India. Weather conditions play a predominant role in determining the course and severity of pest incidence. The present investigation was therefore aimed to analyse the relationship between weather parameters and insect pest and disease incidence in Pigeonpea. The Phytophthora blight appeared in the last week of July after heavy rains where maximum temperature was 32.5 and relative humidity was 78.5 per cent and show maximum mortality when continuous draggling up to 3-4 days. The wilt disease incidence initiated with the flowering of Pigeonpea in the last of October and continuously/gradually increased with the scarcity of moisture in the soil. The maximum incidence of pod borer was found in the second week of November when the temperature was 34.4 and relative humidity was 61.5 per cent. Results of field demonstration showed reduced wilt incidence from 16.3 to 5.3 per cent, number of pod borer larvae from 1.6 to 0.9 per plant and grain damage by pod fly from 21.6 to 13.4 per cent in IPM technology which ultimately increased the yield of pigeonpea 790 kg/ ha to 980 kg/ha over farmer practice.
Ashish Kumar Tripathi. Impact of weather parameters on pod borer, phytophthora blight and wilt incidence in Pigeonpea and their management. J Entomol Zool Stud 2017;5(6):400-402.