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PESTS ON TUBER CROPS POTATO Cutworms, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera Common cutworm, Agrotis segetum Black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon Spotted cutworm, Xestia C-nigrum Variegated cutworm, Peridroma saucia Feed on foliage Cut tender stem Larvae remain in soil Larva dark brown in colour Pupates inside the soil Adult – brown fore wings with spots and markings Potato […]
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MORINGA Moringa oleifera is a plant that is often called the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree. Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties.Pod fly Gitona distigma (Drosophilidae: Diptera) Aematurely and full-fed caterpillars come out […]
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CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables of the family Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae) with many genera, species, and cultivars being raised for food production such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and similar green leaf vegetables. The family takes its alternative name (Cruciferae, New Latin for “cross-bearing”) from the shape […]
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family of chiefly herbaceous tendril-bearing vines (order Campanulales) that are characterized by an inferior ovary and anthers usually united and that include food plants (as the cucumber, melon, squash, and pumpkin), drug plants (as the colocynth), and ornamental plants (as the gourds) Fruit flies (Tephritidae: Diptera) Bactrocera dorsalis: Adult is a reddish-brown fly with lemon-yellow […]
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BHENDI Shoot and fruit borer Earias vittella, E. insulana (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) It is commonly known as cotton spotted bollworm and a major pest of bhendi. It is infesting okra, cotton and other malvaceous wild and cultivated plants. Summer bhendi suffers heavily by this pest, after which, it migrates to cotton. Caterpillars bore into tender shoots […]
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BRINJAL Shoot and fruit borer Leucinodes orbonalis (Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera) Leucinodes orbonalis is the most important and destructive pest of brinjal. It starts damaging brinjal plant, few weeks after transplantation. Larva bores into tender shoots and causes withering of terminal shoots or dead hearts. It also bores into petioles of leaves, flower buds and developing fruits […]
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PESTS ON SESAME Til Leaf and Pod Caterpillar, Antigastra catalaunalis Lepidoptera: Pyralidae A serious and regular pest. Young caterpillars feed on leaves. They also bore into the shoots, flowers, buds and pods. An early attack kills the whole plant, but infestation of the shoots at a later stage hampers further growth and flowering. The maximum […]
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Aphid, Aphis craccivora Hemiptera, Aphididae They are small-sized insects (2 mm long), pear shaped, green, greenish brown or greenish black in colour. Adults are mostly wingless but few winged forms also seen. It has 12-14 generations per year Nymphs and adults suck sap from tender growing shoots, flowers, causing stunting and distortion of the […]
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RICE WEEVIL Sitophilus oryzae (Family: Curculionidae, order: Coleoptera) It is a small weevil about 3 millimeters in length with head protruded into a down ward snout like structure and reddish brown with four pale spots on the elytra. Eggs are laid in cavities made on the grain by the adult female. The whole developmental life […]
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BELLADONA Cut worm, Agrotis flammetra (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) Leaf feeder, Archipsinca ceana SENNA Green leaf eating caterpillar, Catopsilia pyranthe Pierdae Lepidoptera Pod borer, Etiella zinckenella Phycitidae Lepidoptera LONG PEPPER Mealy bug, Dysmicoccus sp. (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) Tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora (Miridae: Hemiptera) MEDICINAL YAMS Aphids, Aphids gossypii, Pentalonia nigronervosa (Aphididae: Hemiptera) Red spider mite, Tetranychus sp […]
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PESTS OF LILY Leaf caterpillar Polytela gloriosa Noctuidae : Lepidoptera Adult – brown with yellow and red markings. Larva -leaf feeder PESTS OF NERIUM Sphingid caterpillar Deilephila nerii Sphingidae : Lepidoptera Adult: Robust, green moth with yellow markings Leaf butterfly Euploea core Danaidae : Lepidoptera Larva: Blackish brown, […]
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PESTS OF JASMINE Budworm, Hendecasis duplifascialis Hmpsn Pyraustidae Lepidoptera Caterpillar makes hole on the flower bud and feeds on the inner content. Larva also attacks 2 -3 buds and buds are webbed together by silken threads. Adult is a small white moth with black palpi and three lines on the abdomen and hind legs. Larva […]
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PESTS OF TEA Tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora Miridae – Hemiptera Adults and nymphs suck the sap from buds, young leaves and tender stems by puncturing the plant tissues with needle like stylets and inject toxic saliva. These punctures appear as reddish brown spots. Due to intensive feeding, leaves curl up, become badly deformed and […]
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PESTS OF COFFEE White stem borer Xylotrechus quadripes Cerambycidae: Coleoptera White stem borer is the most serious pest of Arabica coffee in India. Alternate host plants include Robusta tree coffee, teak, Oleadioica etc. However, borer usually does not breed in these plants. Adult is slender and 2.5 cm long beetle. Forewings are black with white […]
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CARDAMOM Shoot/panicle/capsule borer Conogethes punctiferalis (Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera) It is a serious pest of nurseries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Alternate hosts are castor, turmeric, guava, mulberry etc. Larvae bore in to pseudostem of seedlings and feed on nursery plants and young tillers in plantation. Infestation is indicated by the presence of entry holes plugged […]
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PEPPER Pollu beetle, Longitarsus nigripennis (Alticidae: Coleoptera) This is the most important pest in West coast area. It causes 30 to 40 percent loss in yield of pepper. Grub feeds on growing tip, tender stem, leaf petiole, spikes and berry. Tunneling of tender stem causes drying up of shoot. Portions of spikes tunneled by grubs […]
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PESTS ON SPICES AND CONDIMENTS CHILLIES Chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thripidae: Thysanoptera) Thrips cause severe damage in areas where chilli is cultivated as a dry crop. It also attacks on tea, acacia, prosopis, castor, cotton, mango, onion, groundnut, pomegranate, pulses, brinjal grape vine, Citrus sp. and numerous weeds. Both nymphs and adults lacerate leaf tissues […]
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PESTS ON COTTONCotton Aphid, Aphis gossypii (Aphididae : Hemiptera) World wide, potential pest – Highly polyphagous, wider host range Nymphs and adults desap on young crop in colonies. Tender leaves curl up, reduced in size, gradually fade and dry up. Plant growth severely shunted. Leaves show oily appearance Sooty mould develops on honey dew on […]
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PESTS ON SUGARCANEEarly shoot borer – Chilo infuscatellus (Crambidae: Lepidoptera) P refer 1-3 months old crop. Caterpillar enters the stem by making holes above the ground level. Formation of “dead heart” is the symptom. Affected plants can be easily pulled out. Rotten portion of the dead heart emits an offensive odour. High temperature, low humidity, […]
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CITRUS Lime tree borer or orange borers Chelidonium cinctum (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) This is a major and highly destructive pest in South India. Wilting of twigs and stems, gum exudations and wood powder accumulation on ground below are symptoms of attack. Adult is dull metallic green to dark violet with a yellow band across the middle […]
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