Pests of pulses and

their management

Dr. Raghavendra K.V.

Scientist (Agril. Entomology)
ICAR-NCIPM, New Delhi
 Pests of pigeon pea
Pigeon pea is attacked by over 200 pest
species
Pests attack different parts of the plant.
Damage caused by the insects to pods
significantly reduce the crop yield.
About 15-20 insects cause economic damage
to pigeon pea
 Gram caterpillar, Helicoverpa armigera
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Very serious and polyphagous pest

Attacks all most all pulse crops.
Distributed throughout Asia and Australia and
parts of Africa
Found throughout the year with peak activity
between September to March.
 ECONOMIC IMPACT

Causes losses worth Rs. 120 crores in pigeon pea

and chickpea globally .

One larvae can damage 20-25 pods.

Appearance:
Moth stout bodied, brownish FW with ‘U’
shaped speck. HW pale with dark border.
Larva appear in different colours
(polymorphism) like green, black, brown and
grey.
Body is sparsely hairy with dark gray lines
laterally.
Biology:
 Female moth lays single, shining and
sculptured eggs on the flowers and flower
buds
 Fecundity is 400- 1500 eggs per female

 IP – 3-5 days; LP- 15-21 days; PP- 9-11 days

 Completes 8-10 generations per year

 Pupation in the soil.

Nature of damage:
Young larvae feed on flowers and flower buds
Old larvae feed on pods in characteristic
manner
Head and thorax inside the pod whereas rest
of the body outside
Damage symptoms:
Large round holes on each of the damaged
locule
IPM for Helicoverpa
Summer plough to expose pupae to hot sun
and bird predation
Use of early maturity verities – ICPL 87
Early sowing – before 15th July
Mix 100 g of jowar or pundi seeds which acts
as live bird perches
Use of sex pheromone traps to monitor the
pest @ 5 traps/ha at the time flowering.
Traps should be 1 ½ - 2 ft. above crop.
Lures should be changed at 15 days interval.
ETL – Five adults/trap or 2 eggs/plant or 1
larva/plant to initiate the control measures
I-spray – Use of ovicidal insecticide
Methomyl 12.5 L @ 2 ml/l OR
Thiodicarb 75 WP @ 0.6g/l
II- Spray (Botanicals)
Neem Seed Kernal Extract (NSKE) @ 5%
(20 kg need seed + 100 g soap powder) per ha
OR
Commercial neem product @ 2ml/l (1500 ppm)
III- Spray (Biopesicide)
HaNPV @ 250 LE/ha i.e., 0.75 ml/l. Mix 100 g
boric powder and 100 g jaggery.
Spray in the evening hours
IV- Spray (Chemicals)
Chlorantraniliprole 18.50 % SC @ 0.3 ml/l OR
Flubendiamide 20 % WG @ 125-250 g/ha
Flubendiamide 39.35 % w/w SC @ 0.2-0.25 ml/l
Indoxacarb 15.80% EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l
Manual collection of larvae by shaking plants
V- spray
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1 ml/l OR
Quinalphos 25% EC @ 2 ml/l OR Novaluron 05.25
% + Indoxacarb 04.50 % SC @ 1.6-1.75 ml/l OR
Chlorantraniliprole 09.30 % + Lambda-
cyhalothrin 04.60 % ZC @ 0.4 ml/l
Manual collection of larvae by shaking plants
Things to remember
1. Do not repeat the same insecticide
2. Use 1000 l of spray solution for one ha
3. If low volume sprayers are used, double the
recommended dosage
 Plume moth, Exalastis atamosa
(Pterophoridae: Lepidoptera)
Major pest throughout India.
Peak infestation noticed during Nov. – March
Appearance:
Small moth with yellowish brown wings.
FW twice forked; HW thrice forked
Larva green, spindle shaped with short spine
and long hairs all over body with two thin
yellow line dorsally
Biology:
Moth lays green oval eggs singly on pods/
buds.
IP- 4 days; LP- 14-30 days; PP- 4-8 days.
Pupation on the pods.

Nature of damage:
Larva bore into buds, flowers and pods
Feed on developing grains
Damage symptoms:
 Damaged flowers, buds and pods

Management:
• Same as Pigeon pea pod borer
 Pod fly, Melanagromyza obtusa
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)
Commonly found and major pest in India.
Occurs during pod maturation period

Appearance:
Small black fly with well developed ovopositor
in female
Maggots white, apodous
Pupa brown
Biology:
 Eggs are inserted into the pods near grains.
 Fecundity- 10-80 eggs/female.
 IP- 3 days; LP- 9-10 days; PP- 8-9 days.
 Pupation inside the pod but outside grain

Nature of damage:
 Maggots feed on part of the developing seeds
 Before pupation, maggots feed on wall of the
pod inside leaving a round parchment like
window
Damage symptoms
No external damage to pods except
transparent window made by maggot
Inside shriveled and deformed grains

Management:
Indoxacarb 15.80% EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 5 % EC @ 0.6 ml/l
 Green pod borer, Etiella zinckenella
(Phycitidae: Lepidoptera)
Widely distributed
Infestation starts at the end of red gram
season
Appearance:
FW light brown with a conspicuous white line
along the costal margin
HW translucent with two black lines near
outer margin.
Larva red with five black spots on prothorax
Biology:
Eggs are laid singly on tender pods
IP- 10 days; LP- 10-17 days; PP- 9-12 days
Pupation in the soil
Nature of Damage:
Larva bore into the pods and feed on maturing
seeds.
Fecal pellets seen inside the
damaged pods
Damage symptoms:
Pods with single hole, damaged seeds
Pods with fecal pellets

Management:
Same as Pigeon pea pod borer
 Spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata
(Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)
 Major pest on red gram and other legume
crops

Appearance:
 Medium size moth, FW brown with white club
shaped marking attached to costal margin
 HW white with irregular blotch
 Larva whitish green with black spots on dorsal
surface.
Biology:
Oval and yellow eggs are laid in small batches
on the flowers and buds
IP- 4-5 days; LP-10-15 days; PP- 8-10 days
Pupation in the web
Nature of damage:
Larva webs flowers, buds and pods and feeds
inside.
IT also bores into the pods at feed ripening
seeds
Fecal pellets seen at the entrance of burrow.
Damage symptoms:
 Dried and webbed flowers, buds and pods
 Pods with hole and eaten seeds along with
excreta
 Management:
Same as Pigeon pea pod borer
 Blue butterfly, Lampides boeticus
(Lycaenidae: Lepidoptea)
Widely distributed, attack several pulse crops
like red gram, cowpea, green gram etc.

Appearance:
Small blue butterfly with a black spot on HW
and a short hair like projection
Larva green, oval and flat
Biology:
Female lays single sculptured eggs on buds
Pupation in the soil or in debris
Nature of damage:
Larva feeds on leaves, flowers, buds and pods
Damage symptoms:
Pods with damaged seeds
Management:
Same as Pigeon pea pod borer
 Pod bugs

Riptortus pedestris Clavigrella gibbosa

 Brownish, elongate with  Brownish, stout without
slightly enlarged femora enlarged femora
 Spine like projection on  Spine like projection on
shoulder absent shoulder present

Adults and nymphs damage pods

Suck the sap from tender shoots and pods
Shriveled seeds with dark patches
Management: Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6
ml/l
 Pod wasp, Taraostigmaoides cajaninae
(Taraostigmoidae: Hymenoptera)
• Emerging pest in South India
Appearance:
• Adult wasp is small, yellowish brown
• Larva white and apodous
Biology:
• Female lays translucent, flat oval eggs on
flowers and young pods
Nature of damage:
 Larva feeds on young seeds of basal locules of
pods
 Also feeds on pod walls
 Pupation in locules
Damage symptoms:
 Abortion of seeds resulting in single seeded pods
 Drying and shedding of pods
 Management:
 Quinolphos 25 EC @ 2ml/l
 Minor pests
1. Blister beetle: Zonabris pustulata (Meloidae:
Coleoptera)
 Elytra black with orange wavy bands across it
 Adult is damaging stage
 Feeds on flowers
 Dropping of flowers and poor pod setting
 Undergo hypermetamorphosis
 Management: Manual
 collection with nets and killing
2. Jassid, Empoasca kerri (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
 Occurs in North India during Sept- Oct.
 Adults green, nymphs yellow.
 Eggs inserted in leaf midrib.
 Both adults and nymphs suck sap from
undersurface of leaves.
 Damage results in yellowing and cupping of
leaves and subsequent defoliation.
 Management: Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6
ml/l OR Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
3. Eriophid mite, Aceria cajani (Eriophidae: Acarina)

Minute, microscopic non insect pest

Transmits sterility mosaic disease.
Affected plants show dark green leaves
without flowers/pods
Management:
Spray Spiromesifen 22.90 % SC OR
Fenazaquin 10% EC @ 0.8 ml/l
OR Propargite 57% EC @ 1.5 – 2 ml/l
4. Bud weevil, Ceutorhynchus asperulus
(Curculionidae: Coleoptera)
Occurs during flowering stage
Adults small, grayish green, grubs white.
Eggs laid on tip of flower bud
Grubs attack flower buds. Adults feed on
petals
Grubs bore into and feeds on pollen and
prevent pod formation
Management: Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6
ml/l OR Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
5. Gall weevil, Alcidodes collaris (Curculionidae:
Coleoptera)
Attacks redgram, greengram, black gram and
cow pea
Eggs laid singly on stem.
Grubs bore into stem causing swelling or galls
near the point of entry
Plants break at these plants
Management: Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6
ml/l OR Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
6. Leaf webber, Grapholita critica (Tortricidae:
Lepidoptera)
 Moth small, dark brown
 Larva creamy yellow.
 Larva fold terminal leaves, webs and feeds
inside
 Growth of the shoot affected resulting in poor
pod formation
 Management:
 Removal and destruction of webbed leaves.
 Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6 ml/l OR
Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
 Chickpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
 Only pest causing economical damage
 Infestation starts from 20 days old crop till pod
maturation
 Appearance and biology is same that under
redgram
 Nature of damage:
 Young larvae scrape leaves at vegetative stage
or feeds on flowers at flowering stage
 Grownup larvae bore into pods and feed on
developing seeds
Damage symptoms:
Scraped leaves appear white
Pods with holes

IPM
Summer plough to expose pupae to hot sun
and bird predation
Mix 100 g of jowar or pundi seeds which acts
as live bird perches
 Use of sex pheromone traps to monitor the pest
@ 5 traps/ha at the time flowering.
 Traps should be 1 ½ - 2 ft. above crop.
 Lures should be changed at 15 days interval.
 ETL – Five adults/trap or 3 eggs/plant or 1
larva/m row or 1 larva/10 plants initiate control
measures
 Neem Seed Kernal Extract (NSKE) @ 5%
 (20 kg need seed + 100 g soap powder) per ha
OR
 Commercial neem product @ 2ml/l (1500 ppm)
HaNPV @ 250 LE/ha i.e., 0.75 ml/l. Mix 100 g
boric powder and 100 g jaggery.
Spray in the evening hours
Emamectin benzoate 05 % SG @ 0.4 g/l OR
Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1.0 ml/l
Flubendiamide 8.33 % + Deltamethrin 5.56 % SC
@ 0.5 ml/l
Novaluron 05.25 % + Indoxacarb 04.50 % SC @
1.65-1.75 ml/l
 Green gram
Spingid moth, Herse convolvuli (Spingidae:
Lepidoptera)
Occasional pest
Moth spindle shaped, green with white cross
bands
Larva greenish with yellowish cross bands
Bent horn on the last segment
Pupation in the earthen soil
Nature of damage:
Larvae feeds on leaves
Damage symptoms:
Defoliation

Management:
Deep ploughing
Collection and destruction of caterpillars
Emamectin benzoate 05 % SG @ 0.4 g/l OR
Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1.0 ml/l
Pod weevil, Apiion aplum (Apionidae: Coleoptera)
• Adults black in colour, grubs white
• Eggs are inserted into tender pods
• Grubs feed on developing grains
• Pupation inside the pod, adults come out
making a small neat hole
• Also attacks black gram
Management:
Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1.0 ml/l
Flubendiamide 8.33 % + Deltamethrin 5.56 %
SC @ 0.5 ml/l
 Cow pea aphid, Aphis craccivora
(Aphididae: Hemiptera)
Serious pest on cowpea, green gram and black
gram
Adults black in colour, Adults and nymphs cause
damage by sucking sap from leaves, tender shoots
and pods
Curling of leaves, wilting of shoots and poor pod
setting
Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6 ml/l OR
Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
 Soybean
1. Pod borer, Cydia ptychora (Tortricidae: Lepidoptera)
Common and serious pest.
Moth is grayish yellow, FW white with 3 black
spots
Larva pinkish
Caterpillar bores into pods and feeds on seeds
Management: Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @ 0.3-0.5
ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1.0 ml/l
Flubendiamide 8.33 % + Deltamethrin 5.56 % SC
@ 0.5 ml/l
Stem fly, Ophiomyia phaseoli (Agromyzidae: Diptera)
• Major pest on soybean, cowpea and black
gram
• Adult shining black
• Eggs laid on leaves.
• Maggots mine through mid rib of leaves,
bores into petiole and later tunnel into tender
stem
• Wilting of plants due to mining.
• Death of young plants
• Mgt: Chlorantraniliprole 18.50 % SC @ 0.3 ml/l
OR Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @0.3-0.5 ml/l
Stem fly, Melangromyza sojae (Agromyzidae: Diptera)

Adults are bluish black fly.

Eggs inserted into leaves or cotyledons.
Yellow maggots first mine into leaves, then
bore into the stem through petiole
Wilting of plants due to mining. Death of
plants
Management: Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.5-0.6
ml/l OR Acetamiprid 20%SP @ 1g/l
 Field bean pod borer, Adisura atkinsoni
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
Cold season pest. Occurs during rabi season
Serious in South Karnataka
Appearance:
Moth straw coloured, wings with prominent
veins
FW with curved (V) line formed by series of black
dots.
Caterpillar green with thin longitudanal stripe
dorsally
Biology:
IP- 2-3 days; LP- 14-15 days; PP- 7-8 days.
Pupation in the soil
Nature of damage:
Larva bores into the pods and feeds grains
Damage symptoms:
Pods with hole and eaten seeds
Management:
Indoxacarb 15.80 % EC @ 0.3-0.5 ml/l OR
Lambda-cyhalothrin 05 % EC @ 0.6-1.0 ml/l
Flubendiamide 8.33 % + Deltamethrin 5.56 % SC @
0.5 ml/l