Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke)

Taxonomic position

Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Pyralidae: Phycitinae

Common name

Pulse pod borer moth

Habitat / Crop(s) damaged

Major host plants recorded from India include pigeonpea, cowpea, lablab, soybean, peas, chickpea, horse gram, green and black grams, Crotalaria juncea, C. micans, C. saltiana, Lathyrus sativus, Phaseolus lunatus, P. vulgaris, Vigna mungo and V. unguiculata.

Symptoms of damage include shedding of blossom and young pods; mature pods marked with a brown spot (rotten patch) due to the build-up of faeces inside the pod; and split pods containing greenish larva having five black spots on the prothroax and a lot of white frass and silk.

Pest status

Minor, occasionally serious.

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