Incidence, bionomics and management of spotted pod borer [Maruca vitrata (Geyer)] in major pulse crops in India-A review

Spotted pod borer is one of the major biotic constraint for pulses production which can cause damage to the economic plant parts such as flower buds, flowers and pods. The larvae feeds on 39 host species of legume crops. The seasonal incidence of spotted pod borer differed from crop to crop and season to season. However, the peak incidence of larvae was observed at flowering and pod development stage in different pulse crops. Female moths lays flat scaly eggs on floral buds, flowers, leaves, leaf axils, terminal shoots and tender pods. Larvae are translucent with dark brown spots on each segment and larval period lasted from 11 to 21 days and the duration of total life cycle varied from 27 to 36 days on different hosts. The efficacy of chemical insecticides belonging to different groups against spotted pod borer was well established on different pulse crops. Neem products such as neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) or neem oil and biocides like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) showed different levels of efficacy on different crops.