Prevalence of leaf eating larval stages of major insect pests of Lepidoptera in black gram

Abstract

Continuous monitoring of insect pest populations in crops is critical to avoiding the losses due to pest damage. During August to November in 2016 and 2017, a field experiment was done to assess the extent of damage caused by the larval stages of Lepidopteran insect pest on black gram. This study used a random block design and three replications to determine the prevalence of a number of prominent insect pests of this order in the black gram crop. The leaf weber (Omiodes indicata Fab.), pod borer (Maruca testulalis Geyer), bihar hairy caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua Walker) and the blue butterfly (Lampides boeticus L.) were the most common lepidopterans discovered in the field. Their larval stages were mostly leaf feeders, inflicting damage to the black gram crop at various phases of maturation. Relationship between climatic conditions and insect abundance was measured using Karl Pearson's coefficient of correlation; nevertheless, the results were inconsequential.