Tur (Pigeonpea) Pod Borer & Wilt Control: Critical Stage Sprays, Trichoderma, and Pod Development Care in Vidarbha

Pigeonpea or Red Gram, universally known as Tur (तूर / अरहर), is one of Maharashtra's paramount pulse crops, widely intercropped with soybean and cotton across Vidarbha and Marathwada. While Tur commands strong market value and Minimum Support Price (MSP) backing, pulse yields are frequently cut in half by two primary adversaries: Fusarium Wilt (मर रोग) and the Gram Pod Borer (*Helicoverpa armigera* / शेंग पोखरणाऱ्या अळ्या).

With climate variability causing unexpected dry spells or cloudy weather during flowering, following scientific pulse agronomy from Dr. PDKV (Akola) and MPKV (Rahuri) is essential to secure bumper yields of 8 to 12 quintals per acre.

Tur (Pigeonpea) Pest & Disease Management Matrix

1. Managing Fusarium Wilt (मर रोग): Prevention is the Only Cure

Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungus that blocks the vascular water channels of the plant. Once a plant fully wilts, spraying fungicides on foliage will not save it.

1. 1.Trichoderma Seed Inoculation: Before sowing, always treat 1 kg of tur seed with 10 grams of *Trichoderma viride* or *Trichoderma harzianum* along with Rhizobium culture.
2. 2.Soil Application with Farmyard Manure (FYM): Mix 2 kg of *Trichoderma* culture with 100 kg of well-decomposed FYM, incubate under shade for 7 days with light moisture, and broadcast in the field during final land preparation.
3. 3.Crop Rotation: Avoid growing Tur in the exact same plot every consecutive year. Rotate with sorghum, pearl millet (bajra), or maize.

2. Pod Borer (*Helicoverpa armigera*) Multi-Tier Control

The transition from 50% flowering to green pod formation is the most critical window for pod borer damage.

• •Step 1: Install Bird Perches (T-shape wooden poles) @ 15 to 20 poles per acre. Insectivorous birds (like drongos and mynas) perch on them and hunt adult caterpillars for free.
• •Step 2: Biological Spray at 5% Flowering: Apply HaNPV (Helicoverpa armigera Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus) @ 250 LE per acre in late evening, or spray Neem-based formulation (Azadirachtin 10,000 ppm) @ 2 ml/L.
• •Step 3: Targeted Chemical Spray at Podding: When green caterpillars exceed 2 per meter row length, spray:
• •Emamectin Benzoate 5% SG @ 4.5 g per 10 liters of water, OR
• •Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC @ 3 ml per 10 liters of water.

3. Critical Protective Irrigation: Yield Booster

Although Tur is predominantly a rainfed Kharif crop, it encounters high moisture stress during late October and November when the monsoon withdraws.

- Two Critical Irrigation Stages: 1. Flower Bud Initiation Stage (75–85 days after sowing) 2. Pod Development Stage (105–115 days after sowing) - Drip / Sprinkler Efficiency: If water is scarce in farm ponds (शेततळे) or wells, provide 1 to 2 protective irrigations through micro-sprinklers or inline drip lines. This single intervention increases pod count by 25% to 40%.

4. Nipping / Apical Topping Technique for Bushy Growth

For branched varieties like BSMR-736, BDN-711, or PKV Tara: - Perform apical pinching (cut the top 2-3 inches of terminal shoot) at 35–45 days after sowing, and repeat if needed at 60 days. - This breaks apical dominance and triggers extensive lateral branching, multiplying flower clusters per plant.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What are the best high-yield Tur varieties recommended for Vidarbha? A1: Dr. PDKV Akola recommends PKV Tara, BSMR-736 (resistant to wilt and sterility mosaic), BDN-711, and Maruti (ICP-8863).

Q2: Can I mix chemical insecticides with Trichoderma? A2: No. Chemical fungicides and insecticides kill beneficial biocontrol fungi like *Trichoderma*. Maintain at least a 10-day gap between chemical soil drenches and bio-fertilizer applications.

Q3: When does government MSP procurement for Tur open in Maharashtra? A3: NAFED and Maharashtra State Cooperative Marketing Federation typically open online farmer registration on the Mahafood / e-Kharidi portal in December, with procurement running from January to April.

Sources and Authoritative References - Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola — Directorate of Extension Education: pdkv.ac.in - ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur: iipr.icar.gov.in - Department of Agriculture, Maharashtra State: krishi.maharashtra.gov.in - Last Updated: September 2026