OPEN ACCESS | Published on : 18-Apr-2026 | Pages: 106-116 | Doi : 10.37446/vol2book092025/106-116
Redgram Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. an important leguminous crop harboring about 77 insect pests but only the appearance of forget-me-not butterfly Catochrysops strabo (Fab.), plume moth Exelastes atomosa W., Bengal borer Cletthara floccifera Hamp., maruca pod borer Maruca testulalis (Geyer), gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera Hub.), pod boring weevil Apion clavipes Gerst. and pod fly Melanagromyza obtusa Mall. caused considerable damage to the crop, all these insects are serious pest of red gram and it is very common that five lepidopteran larvae per plant and 4.50 percent pod damage or 2.04 percent grain damage either by pod boring weevil Apion clavipes Gerst. or pod fly Melanagromyza obtusa Mall. caused economic threshold level of damage in red gram. Although the body size of these insects are small but hand picking and destruction of mature larva and egg masses could suppress to build up the initial population of this pest. Among the different bioagents the application of Ha NPV 3 x1012 POB/ha in 0.1% teepol or Bacillus thuringiensis serovar kurstaki 5%WP1000-1250 g/ha might be considered as an alternate to chemical insecticides. If the insect population reached too high application of chemicals like emamectin benzoate 5% SG @ 220 g/ha, chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 150ml/ha, spinosad 45% SC @ 125-162 ml/ha are useful to keep pest population within threshold limits.
Pod borer, Plume moth, Bengal borer, Pod fly, Pod boring weevil, Parasitoids, Natural enemies, Bio agents, Augmentation, Insecticides
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