Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
AM Pachre, SS Gurav, Kumud V Naik, VG Chavan and RS Mule

Abstract:
The studies on biology of Maruca vitrata (Fabricius) infesting cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (Walpers) revealed that the mean pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods were lasted for 3.5, 3.4 and 1.7 days, respectively. An average 58.4 eggs were laid, singly or in groups by the female. The incubation period lasted for 3.3 days with 72.0% hatching. The mean duration of larval, pre-pupal and pupal periods was found to be 14, 2.3 and 8.4 days, respectively. The fully grown larva measured 15.81 mm in body length and 2.36 mm in head width, whereas, the pupa measured 12.22 mm in length and 2.95 mm in breadth. Longevity of male and female moths was 4.4 and 8.6 days, respectively. The male moth measured 10.87 mm in length, 2.21 mm in body width with wing expanse of 22.69 mm. Whereas female moth measured 11.74 mm in length, 2.33 mm in width with wing expanse of 24.40 mm. The sex ratio for male to female was 1:1.04. Total life cycle of male and female was completed within 32.4 and 36.6 days, respectively.