Relative Infestation and Damage of Some Pigeonpea Cultivars by Lepidopteran Pod Borers in Uganda

Abstract

Infestation and damage of some pigeonpea ( Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.) cultivars by lepidopteran pod borers were evaluated over two cropping seasons during 1991 at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute, Kabanyolo. Significant (P≤0.05) cultivar differences were recorded in borer incidence and pod damage. Apio, the local cultivar, showed the highest infestation by Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). ICPL 87104 had the greatest infestation by Maruca testlalis (Geyer), although in the second season it was not significantly higher than the rest. Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke) occurred in very low numbers, and cultivar differences were not significant (P > 0.05). Indexing larval counts to number of pods per plant showed that infestation pressure by both H. armigera and M. testulalis was not as different among cultivars as larval counts suggested. Pod damage was greatest on ICPL 87 and lowest on ICPL 87104.

Keywords: Pigeonpea, pod borers, Uganda