Seasonal Crop Pests of Red Gram (Pigeon Pea) in Akola Region

Abstract

The Pigeon pea also called as red gram (Cajanus cajan: family: Fabaceae) is a perennial legume. The centre of origin is the eastern part of peninsular India, including the state of Orissa where the closest wild relatives occur in tropical deciduous woodland. Today, pigeon pea is widely cultivated in all tropical and semitropical regions of both the Old and the New Worlds.  The large number of pests and diseases which attack pigeon pea in India (and elsewhere) is perhaps the main constraint to increased production. Pigeon pea was found to be associated with termites (O. badius), crickets (G. lucens), and variegated grasshoppers (Z. variegatus) at the seedling stages, but the insects were considered minor pests. Field insect pest infestation on pigeon pea was more critical at the reproductive stage where damage was mainly caused by pod-sucking bugs (Clavigralla spp.), pod borers (Helicoverpa), pod flies (Melanogromyza spp.), and blister beetles (Mylabris spp.). The infestation and damage by Gram Pod borer (Helicoverpa) in this study area recorded as approximately 40% crop damage, followed by30% damage by Spotted pod borers, about 20% by Pod Fly and less damage about 10% by Blister Beetles.