@IJAPSA-2016, All rights Reserved Page 90 Effect of moisture content in cowpea pods on infestation by spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata (fab.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Nasiya-Beegum A. N. 1 and Madhu Subramanian 2 1 Department of Agricultural Entomology, COH, Kerala Agricultural University 2 AICRP on BCCP and W, COH, Kerala Agricultural University Abstract Fourty eight accessions of cowpea were evaluated for resistance to the spotted pod borer, M. vitrata in the Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur from September 2014 to June 2015. Significant variation was observed between the genotypes in terms of pod borer damage. The pod damage ranged from zero to 47.95 per cent. Eleven accessions, viz., EC 100092, Palakkadan thandan payar, IC 26048, IC39945, IC 2815, KBC – 2, EC 98668, IC 39947, IC 20645, IC 52110 and IC 52118 recorded zero damage to pods. The highest extent of pod damage (47.95%) was recorded in case of Bhagyalakshmy. The moisture content of the pods were analysed, positive and significant correlation was observed between per cent damage and moisture content (0.427) at 0.01 level. I. INTRODUCTION Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.), is an important legume of the tropics and subtropics. It is an important source of dietary protein in the predominantly cereal based diet followed across the world. Cowpea is used as a grain legume, vegetable and also as a fodder. However the productivity of cowpea, at 9 – 10 Kg ha -1 is very low, one of the reasons being infestation by a number of pests and diseases. Among the different insect pests, the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Fab.) (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) is the most important one causing loss of up to 60 per cent in cowpea [1]. Maruca vitrata (Fab.) occurs throughout the tropics and subtropics of Central and South America, Asia and Africa. It is an important pest of grain legumes of tropics and subtropics owing to its wide geographical distribution, broad host range and its ability to infest the young growing tips of plants, flower buds, flowers, pods and seeds. The moisture content in plants will attract the insects for instance, the moringa moth, Noorda blitialis Walker attack was more in succulent and younger leaves were grown after leaf harvest [2]. Similarly the early varieties with more succulent and thicker stems are more susceptible to damage by pea stem borer Melanagromyza phaseoli [3]. In this context the study was undertaken to identify the effect of moisture content of pods from selected accessions of cowpea to pod borer. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried out by a field trial at Kerala (10 0 31’ N latitude and 76 0 17’E longitude at an elevation of 40 m above mean sea level). The experimental site had a warm humid tropical climate. The details of the materials used and methods followed in the study are described below.