PESTS OF PULSES - RED GRAM & CHICKPEA :: Integrated Pest Management in Pulses

Integrated Pest Management in Pulses

A. Cultural methods

1. Summer deep ploughing is effective in destroying the eggs, larvae and pupae of various pests
2. Pest population of pulses can also be suppressed to some extent by resorting clean cultivation.
3. Early sowing crop escapes the first two broods of stem fly.
4. Increase the seed rate to compensate the damage due to stem fly.
5. Soil raking through weeding may reduce the soil grubs.
6. Apply 50 kg potash/ha to the crop raised with closer spacing (20x10 cm) to reduce the stem fly and pod borer incidence
7. Remove the weeds in and around the field.
8. Collect and destroy egg masses and pupae.
9. Dry the seeds adequately to reduce the moisture level to 8% for the grain purpose.
10. Resistant strains of gram like G-130 & C 214 are less susceptible to H. armigera.

B. Mechanical methods

1. Set up light trap to monitor, attract and kill the pod borer moths.
2. Set up pheromone traps @ 12 nos./ha to reduce gram pod borer incidence.

C. Biocontrol methods

1. Release egg parasite Trichogramma spp. and egg larval parasite Chelonus blackburnii for the control of H. armigera.
2. Conservenatural enemies like Microbracon sp., Cotesia sp, Bracon hebetor and Apanteles sp. parasitizes the caterpillar pests.
3. Apply NPV @ 500 LE/ha to control H. armigera.

D. Chemical methods

1. Soil treatment with chlorpyriphos 5D or quinalphos 1.5 D 2 25 kg/ha against cut-worms and other insects hiding below or on the soil surface.
2. Seed pelleting with chlorpyriphos @ 4 ml/kg of seed may reduce the early pests like stem fly.
3. For sucking pests, spray methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml (or) dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml/ha (250 l spray fluid / ha)
4. For pod borer, apply any one of the insecticides @ 25 kg/ha endosulfan 4 D, quinolphos 4D and carbaryl 5D.
5. Spray endosulfan 35 EC 1250 ml (or) monocrotophos 36 SL 625 ml/ha or NSKE 5% twice followed by triazophos 0.05% (spray fluid 500 l/ha).
6. For seed purpose: Mix 1 kg of activated kaolin or malathion 5 D for every 100 kg of seeds.  Pack in polythene lined gunny bags for storage.
7. Neem seed kernel powder 3% effectively controls the storage pest, bruchid beetle.