Minimum temperature will put stress on the larva development of Chickpea pod borer in Bundelkhand Agroclimatic zone during December 2016

This rabi season the timely sown chickpea crop may have very low larva number during December 2016. The onset of winter on time and prevalence of weekly minimum temperature of either below normal or near normal (around 10°C) from the start of November will create a stress for its growth. Till today no larva was found in one meter square row length of the crop sown on 20 and 30 October, 2016. The possibility of normal and below normal minimum temperature (around 9°C) for rest half of November month and dry period will be further aggravated this situation.

Thus, there may be a change of low larva number per meter square(0.5 to 1/m2) in Chickpea during December 2016 due to possibility of fall in minimum temperature further ( around 8°C or below) as compared to December 2015. Farmers are advised to keep watch on the chickpea crop for onset of larva on their chickpea crop