Cataloguing, screening and assessing the effect of sowing time on the incidence of black gram pests under dryland condition

Cataloguing of different insect pests occurring in black gram, screening of black gram genotypes against major insect pests and their incidence on black gram at three different sowing times were investigated at Agricultural Research Station Farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin District. Totally, 11 species of insect pests were identified in black gram ecosystem. Among the 10 black gram genotypes screened, KBG 06 016 recorded minimum population of leafhoppers during both the years and KBG 05 007 and KBG 06 021 showed minimum population of aphid during 2010–2011 and 2011–2012, respectively. The minimum damage by pod borer was noticed in KBG 04 003 and KBG 08 001 during 2010–2011 and 2011–2012, respectively. The minimum number of leafhoppers, aphids and pod borers were observed in monsoon, post-monsoon and pre-monsoon sown black gram, respectively.