Population build-up and relative abundance of pod borer complex in the main season pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.* Akhuri R.K., Sinha M.M., Yadav R.P. Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi (Muzaffarpur), Bihar (India). *A part of approved Ph. D. thesis submitted by R.K. Akhauri to Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, Pusa (Samastipur)-848 125 (India). Abstract Studies on population build-up and relative abundance of pod borer species, viz, Maruca testulalis Geyer, Melanagromyza obtusa Malloch, Apion clavipes Gerst, and Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, were carried out in the main season pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., var. Bahar during 1990–91 and 1991–92. The larval population of M. testulalis was recorded in traces only during March when the crop approached maturity. Other constituents of the pod borer community remained active from January to March, with their collective larval population being more during February end to third week of March. Among all the pod borers, M. obtusa predominated throughout the reproductive phase of the crop in both the years, with two peaks, once in the second week of February and another in the first week of March. Top |