Department of Entomology, Agricultural Zoology, Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi (Muzaffarpur), Bihar-843 121 (India).
*A part of approved Ph.D. thesis submitted by R.K. Akhauri to Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, Pusa (Samastipur)-848 125 (India).
Population build-up and relative abundance of pod borer complex comprisingMaruca testulalis Geyer., Melanagromyza obtusa Malloch and Apion clavipes Gerst. were studied in early pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (var. UPAS 120) during 1990–91 and 1991–92 crop season. Larval population of these borers both individually and collectively recorded a rising trend from mid October to November end, showing their peak in the last week of November, and thereafter it started declining till the crop attained maturity. Thus, the crop remained vulnerable to the attack of borer complex from the second to last week to November, when the mean population fluctuated between 21.42 and 27.78 larvae/plant. Among the constituents of pod borer community, M. testualis predominated throughout the crop season in both the years. The pod weevil, A. clavipes, formed the minor constituent of the pod borer complex.
