Maruca vitrata

Bean Pod Borer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Crambidae
Genus:	Maruca
Species:	M. vitrata
Binomial name
	Maruca vitrata; (Fabricius, 1787)
Synonyms
	Botys bifenestralis Mabille, 1880; Crochiphora testulalis Geyer, 1832; Hydrocampe aquitilis Guérin-Méneville, [1832]; Maruca testulalis (Geyer, 1832); Phalaena vitrata Fabricius, 1787;

Maruca vitrata is a pantropical insect pest of leguminous crops like pigeon pea, cowpea, mung bean and soybean. Its common names include the maruca pod borer, bean pod borer, soybean pod borer, mung moth, and the legume pod borer.

It can cause losses of 20–80% on the harvests of cowpeas.^[1]

Its feeding sites on plants are flower-buds, flowers and young pods. In some cases early instars feed on flower peduncles and young stems.

Methods for control

Biological

Some parasitoid wasps have been shown to serve as a biological control for Maruca vitrata. Parasitoid families include Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Tachinidae.^[2]

References

Okeyo-Owuor, J.B., and Ochieng, R.S. 1981. Studies on the legume bod borer, Maruca testulalis (Geyer)-1: Life cycle and behaviour. Insect Sci Appl. 1: 263–268.
Sharma, H.C. 1998. Bionomics, host plant resistance, and management of the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata – a review. Crop. Prot. 17: 373–386.
Singh, S.R., and Jackai, L.E.N. 1985. Insect pests of cowpea in Africa: their life cycle, economic importance and potential for control. In: Singh, S.R., and Rachie, K.O. Editors. 1985. Cowpea: Research, Production and Utilization. Wiley, New York. Pp. 217–232.
Singh, S.R., and Jackai, L.E.N. 1988. Screening techniques for host plant resistance to cowpea insect pests. Tropical Grain Legume Bull. 35: 2–18.

External links

References

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[1] .org

[2] Parasitoids and other natural enemies of Maruca vitrata feeding on Sesbania cannabina in Taiwan

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