Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Studies on population dynamics of Chlumetia transversa Walk, a serious pest of mango particularly in nurseries in the Punjab revealed that the pest overwintered in the pupal stage. The emergence of the adults started in the last week of March. The larvae were active during April, subsequently they aestivated up to the middle of July after which the adults reappeared. The activity of the insect was maximum from middle of July to end of October when the life cycle was complet d in 32 to 33 days and the infestation went as high as 36.4 per cent. This insect passed through 4 generations in a year. Three sprays synchronising with the appearance of the moths at 30 days interval using endosulfan (200 g a.i./ha), carbaryl (800 g a.i./ha) or endrin (160 g a.i./ha) effectively controlled the pest on nursery plants. These treatments reduced the infestation of shoot borer from 36.4 per cent in the control to 7.6 to 9.8 per cent in different treatments. Of all the insecticides, endosulfan was significantly superior. Mechanical removal and destruction of infested shoots before each spray greatly reduced the pest incidence.
