Weight loss in seeds of different pigeonpea genotypes due to Melanagromyza obtusa (Malloch) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) damage

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate twenty pigeonpea genotypes to ascertain actual and per cent weight loss in the damaged grains due to pod fly, Melanagromyza obtusa (Malloch) at Agricultural Research Station, Badnapur (Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani), Maharashtra, India during Kharif season of 2015-2016. The present studies revealed that there was a variation existed among different pigeonpea genotypes with respect to number of maggots and pupae ranging from 0.00 to 277.64 maggots and 0.00 to 101.26 pupae per 100 pods, respectively. The genotype, BRG-2 recorded the highest number of maggots and pupae per 100 pods i.e., 277.64 and 101.26, respectively, whereas the genotype, Cajanus scarabaeoides recorded no maggot and pupal population, indicating its virtue of a genetic potentiality against M. obtusa. Studies on actual and per cent weight loss in grains due to M. obtusa damage ranged from 0.00 to 14.38 g and 0.00 to 85.72 per cent, respectively, with an average of 7.91 g per 100 seeds and 57.53 per cent in different pigeonpea genotypes. The highest actual and per cent weight loss was observed in BRG-1 (14.38 g) and BDN-2013-41 (85.72 per cent); and the genotype, C. scarabaeoides recorded no weight loss, indicating its virtue of resistance against M. obtusa and it can be used in breeding programmes in order to produce resistant cultivars for the benefit of farmers.