Legume flower and pod borer, Maruca vitrata fabricius is a key pest of cowpea and other legume crops, causing up to 80 percent yield loss. The insect is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas with wide host range and favorable climate. There are about 39 host plant species of legume crops and weeds and undergoes complete metamorphoses with five destructive larval stages, attacking the flowers, pods, leaves and other parts of the host plant. Many control methods are attributed to its control but most farmers rely largely on chemical pesticides due its physical and immediate action, despite its huge negative effect. However, other alternative such as biocontrol e.g. parasitoid (such as Apanteles taragamae), entomopathogenic viruses (e.g. M. vitrata Multi-Nucleopolyhedrovirus), and entomopathogenic fungi have recently gained interest and proven effective. Moreover, use of sex pheromones and traps plus cultural control practices such as intercropping, weeding, time and density of planting are also highly efficient and complementary. More data on biology, population ecology, pesticides resistance techniques and natural enemies of M. vitrata and their integration would help establishes a tough control method and increased legume crops productivity
