Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Studies were conducted to record the insect-pest species in the cowpea ecosystem during the Zaid and Kharif seasons of crop growth. A total of nineteen insect-pest species, belonging to seven orders and fourteen families, were recorded at different stages of crop growth, five of which belonged to Lepidoptera, seven to Hemiptera, three to Coleoptera, and one each to Orthoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera and Isoptera. All the major parts of the cowpea crop viz., pod/seed, flower, flower bud, leaves and root were found to be infested by these insect species. Out of nineteen species, spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata F., tur pod bug, Clavigralla gibbosa, Spinola, pod sucking bug, Riptortus pedestris F. and bean flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom were observed as the major insect-pests in cowpea ecosystem. Studies highlight insect-pest complex infesting cowpea crop, allowing farmers to plan in advance to reduce infestations of these pest species.