Population dynamics of pod pest complex of pigeonpea

A field experiment was conducted at Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, to study the population dynamics of pod pest complex of pigeonpea. The observations were recorded at fortnightly intervals starting from flower initiation stage upto the harvest of the crop. The peak activity of gram pod borer (3.63 larvae/plant), spotted pod borer (3.63 larvae/plant) and pod bugs (4.62 bugs/plant)was observed during 50th Standard Meteorological Week. The pod damage caused by Helicoverpa armigera (25.02%) and Maruca vitrata (16.77%) was also highest during 50th Standard Meteorological Week. The maximum pod damage by plume moth (12.02%) was noticed at 52nd Standard Meteorological Week. The 52nd Standard Meteorological Week witnessed highest pod fly population (10.80 maggots / 10 pods), per cent pod damage (27.75%), and per cent seed damage (17.51%).The correlation studies of incidence of pod pest to prevalent weather parameters revealed that, gram pod borer and the spotted pod borer were more prevalent as the minimum temperature rose, but pod fly and pod bugs population increased negatively. There was a negative correlation between the population of all pod pest, including gram pod borer, spotted pod borer, pod bugs and pod fly with maximum relative humidity, minimum relative humidity and rainfall.