Insect Pests of Field Crops and their Management

Srinivasan, M.R. and Kishan Tej, M.

Department of Agricultural Entomology, TNAU, Coimbatore

PESTS OF PADDY
Thrips: Stenchaetothrips biformis
Symptoms of damage
Laceration of the tender leaves and suck the plant sap
Yellow (or) silvery streaks on the leaves of young seedlings
Terminal rolling and drying of leaves from tip to base
It causes damage both in nursery and main field (Fig 1 & 2)

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are dark brown in colour ( Fig 4)
Green leafhopper: Nephotettix virescens,
Symptoms of damage
Yellowing of leaves from tip to downwards. ( Fig 5)
Vector for the diseases viz., Rice tungro virus, rice yellow & transitory
yellowing ( Fig 6)

Identification of insect pest

Adults - are green with black spot and black patch on wings. ( Fig 7)
Management
Use resistant varieties like IR 50, CR 1009, Co 46.
Apply neem cake @ 12.5 kg/20 cent nursery as basal dose
The vegetation on the bunds should also be sprayed with the
insecticides
Set up light traps
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Brown plant leafhopper: Nilaparvata lugens
Symptoms of damage
Nymphs and adults congregate at the base of the plant above the water
level
Affected plant dries up and gives a scorched appearance called
“hopper burn”. ( Fig 11)
Circular patches of drying and lodging of matured plant
It is vector of grassy stunt, ragged stunt ( Fig 12)and wilted stunt
diseases

Identification of insect pest

Adult: Brown body and chestnut brown eyes. It has two forms viz.,
(Macropterous (long winged) and brachypterous (short winged)).
Management
Use resistant/tolerant varieties like Aruna, ADT 36, Co 42, Co 46 IR
36, IR 72.
Avoid close planting
To provide 30 cm rogue spacing at every 2.5 m to reduce the pest
incidence.
Avoid use of excessive nitrogenous fertilizers
Control irrigation by intermittent draining
Set up light traps during night
Yellow pan traps during day time
Conserve natural enemies like Lycosa pseudoannulata, Cyrtorhinus
lividipennis
Avoid synthetic pyrethroids, methyl parathion, fenthion and quinalphos
causing resurgence
Drain the water before the use of insecticides
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Paddy stemborer: Scirpophaga incertulas
Symptoms of damage
Presence of brown coloured egg mass near leaf tip.
Caterpillar bore into central shoot of paddy seedling and tiller
Causes drying of the central shoot known as “dead heart” ( Fig 15)
Grown up plant whole panicle becomes dried “white ear”.( Fig 16)

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Laid in a mass and covered with buff coloured hairs.( Fig 17)
Larva - Pale yellow with dark brown head.( Fig 18)
Pupa - White silken cocoon.
Adult - Female moth - bright yellowish brown fore wings with a black
spot possess a tuft of yellow hairs.( Fig 18)
Male moth - Smaller with pale yellow forewings without black spot.

Management
Resistant varieties: Ratna, Jaya, TKM 6.
Avoid close planting and continuous water stagnation
Pull out and destroy the affected tillers
Set up light traps to attract and kill the moths
Harvest the crop upto the ground level and disturb the stubbles
Release the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma japonicum on twice @ 5
cc/ha/(followed by monocrotophos 36 SL spray thrice @ 1000 ml/ha on
58, 65 and 72 DAT)
Apply Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki and neem seed kernel extract.

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Leaf folder (or) leaf roller: Cnaphalocrocis mainsails / Marasmia.
Patnalis
Symptoms of damage
Leaves fold longitudinally and a larva remains inside.( Fig 8)
Larvae scrapes the green tissues of the leaves and becomes white and
dry. ( Fig 10)
During severe infestation the whole field, exhibits scorched
appearance.

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Flat, oval in shape and yellowish white in colour.
Larva - Greenish translucent ( Fig 9)
Adult - Moth is brownish with many dark wavy lines in centre and dark
band on margin of wings

Management
Resistant varieties: TNAU LFR 831311, Cauveri, Akash, TKM 6
Clipping of the affected leaves
Keep the bunds clean
Avoid excessive nitrogenous fertilizers
Light traps to attract and kill moths
Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 1, 25,000/ha thrice
Spray NSKE 5 % or chlorpyriphos 20 EC 1250 ml/ ha.
Rice case worm: Nymphula depunctalis
Symptoms of damage
Caterpillars feed on green tissues of the leaves and leave become
whitish papery

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 Tubular cases around the tillers by cutting the apical portion of leaves
Floating of tubular cases on the water

Identification of insect pest

Larva - Pale translucent green with orange head. It has filamentous gills
on the sides of the body
Adult: Moth is delicate white moth with pale brown wavy markings
Gall midge: Orseolia oryzae
Symptom of damage
Maggot feeds at the base of the growing shoot
Causing formation of a tube like gall that is similar to “onion leaf” or
“Silver-shoot”.
Infested tillers produce no panicles.

Identification of insect pest

Egg: Reddish, elongate, tubular eggs just near the ligule of the leaf blade
Larva: Maggot is pale to red colour feeds inside the gall.
Pupa: pupates at the base of the gall and moves to tip of the gall
Adult: Adult is orange coloured mosquito like fly.
Management
Early ploughing
Resistant varieties: MDU 3, Shakthi, Vikram and Sureka
Harvest the crop and plough immediately
Remove the alternate hosts and adjust the time of planting (early)
Use early maturing varieties
Optimum recommendation of potash fertilizer
Setup light trap and monitor the adult flies
Swarming caterpillar: Spodoptera mauritia
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Symptoms of damage
Larvae cut the seedlings in large scale
Severe infestation - cattle grazing appearance to the field.
They feed gregariously and march from field to field.

Identification of insect pest

Egg - Laid in masses on leaves and covered with grey hairs
Larva - Caterpillar is cylindrical dark to pale green with lateral lines
along the body
Pupa - Pupates in an earthen cocoon in soil
Adult - Moth is medium sized stoutly build.
Dark brown with a conspicuous triangular spot on fore wings.
Management
Kerosenate the water while irrigation – suffocation
Allow ducks into the field
Rice skipper: Pelopidas Mathias
Symptoms of damage
Edges of the leaves are fastened with webbing.
Backward rolling of leaves,
caterpillar feeds from margin to inwards

Identification of insect pest

Larva: Pale green with constructed neck.
Adult: Butterfly with brown coloured wings and curved antenna
Rice horned caterpillar: Melanitis ismene
Symptoms of damage
Larva feeds on leaf blades of rice.
Leaves are defoliated from the margin or tip irregularly
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Grasshopper: Hieroglyphus banian
Short horned grasshopper: Oxya nitidula
Symptoms of damage
Irregular feeding on seedlings and leaf blade
Cutting of stem at panicle stage
Completely defoliate the plants leaving only the mid ribs
Spiny beetle / Rice hispa: Dicladispa armigera
Symptoms of damage
Adults feed on chlorophyll by scraping and causing white parallel
streaks
White patches along with long axis of leaf.
Grubs mine into the leaves and make blister near leaf tips.
White backed plant hopper: Sogatella furcifera
Symptoms of damage
Suck the sap and cause stunted growth.
“Hopper burn” is caused in irregular patches.
Mealybug: Brevennia rehi
Damage
Large number of insects remains in leaf sheath and suck the sap.
Plants become weak, yellowish and very much stunted in circular
patches.
Presence of white waxy fluff in leaf sheaths
Rice earhead bug: Leptocorisa acuta
Symptoms of damage
Sucking the sap from individual grains, which are in milky stage.
Individual grains become chaffy
Black spots on the grains at the site of feeding puncture.
Buggy odour in rice field during milky stage ( Fig 19 & 20)
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PESTS OF SORGHUM
Shootfly: Atherigona varia soccata
Symptoms of damage
The maggot bores inside the stem and cuts the growing point.
Central shoots dried and produce “dead heart” symptom.
The infested plant produces side tillers. ( Fig 21 & 22)
Identification of the pest
Egg - white, cylindrical, distal somewhat flattened
Adult - Whitish grey fly
Management
Use resistant varieties like Co-1, CSH 15R, Maldandi and Hagari.
Take up early sowing of sorghum( South West or North East
monsoon)
Use seeds pelleted with insecticides
Seed treatment with imidacloprid 70 WS @ 10 g/kg of seeds
In case of direct seeding, use increased seed rate upto 12.5 kg/per
hectare
Plough soon after harvest, remove and destroy the stubbles.
Set up the TNAU low cost fish meal traps @ 12/ha till the crop is 30
days old.
Stem borer: Chilo partellus
Symptoms of damage
Withering and drying of central shoot -“dead heart”
Red mining in the midrib
Bore holes visible on the stem near the nodes.
Tender folded leaves have parallel “shot hole”
Affected parts of stem may show internally tunneling of caterpillars

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Identification of the pest
Egg - Scale-like flat oval eggs in batches on the under surface of leaves
near the midribs.
Larva - Yellowish brown with a brown head and prothoracic shield.
Adult - Moth is medium size, straw coloured.
Management
Dead hearts should be pulled out and used as fodder (or) burried in
manure pits.
Stubbles should be ploughed up during winter and burnt to destroy the
hibernating larvae.
Sow the lab lab or cowpea as an intercrop (Sorghum: Lab lab 4:1)
Set up light trap
Bio-control agents viz.,Trichogramma minutum, Bracon chinensis and
Apanteles flavipes
Mix any one of the following insecticides with sand (total quantity of
50 kg)
Phorate - 10G@ 8 kg
Carbofuran 3G@ 17 kg;
Pink stem borer: Sesamia inferens
Symptoms of damage
Central shoots dried and produce the dead hearts.

Identification of the pest

Egg - Bead like laid in rows within the leaf sheath
Larva - Pinkish brown with dark head
Adult - Straw coloured moth with white wings
Ear Head caterpillar: Helicoverpa armigera,

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Symptoms of damage
Earheads are partially eaten with chalky appearance.
Feacal pellets are visible within the ear heads.
Shoot bug: Peregrinus maidis
Symptoms of damage
Plants become unhealthy stunted and yellow.
The leaves wither from top downwards.
Panicle formation is inhibited and the plants die if attack is severe.
Honeydew secreted by the bug causes growth of sooty mould on
leaves.
The midribs of the leaves turn red due to egg-laying and may dry up
subsequently.
Earhead bug: Calocoris angustatus,
Symptoms of damage
Nymphs and adult suck the juice from within the grains when they are
in the milky stage.
Grains shrink and turn black in colour and ill filled (or) chaffy.
Presence of large number of nymphs and adults are seen on the ear head.
Sorghum midge: Contarinia sorghicola,
Symptoms of damage
Pollen shedding due to egg laying
White pupal cases protruding out from the grains
Chaffy grains with holes
PESTS OF MAIZE
Stem fly: Atherigona orientalis
Symptoms of damage
The maggot feeds on the young growing shoots results in “dead hearts”.
( Fig 23)
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Identification of the pest
Adult - Small grey coloured fly.
Management
Use seeds pelleted with insecticides (see sorghum)
Seed treatment with imidacloprid 70 WS 10 g/kg of seeds
Plough soon after harvest, remove and destroy the stubbles.
Set up the TNAU low cost fish meal trap 12/ha till the crop is 30 days
old.
Spray any one of the following :
Methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml/ha
Dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml/ha
Neem seed kernel extract 5%
Neem azal 1%
Stem borer: Chilo partellus
Symptoms of damage
Central shoot withers and leading to “dead heart”.
Larvae mines the midrib enter the stem and feeds on the internal
tissues.
Bore holes visible on the stem near the nodes.
Young larva crawls and feeds on tender folded leaves causing typical
“shot hole” symptom.
Affected parts of stem may show internally tunnelling caterpillars

Identification of the pest

Larva - Yellowish brown with a brown head
Adult - Moth is medium size, straw coloured

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Management
Sow the lab or cowpea as an intercrop (Maize Lablab 4:1).
Set up light trap till midnight to attract and kill the stem borer moths.
Collect the stubbles after harvest and burn to destroy diapausing borers.
Mix any one of the following insecticides with sand ( total quantity of
50 kg) Phorate 10G 8 kg, carbofuran 3G @17 kg (500 lit. spray fluid/ha)

Pink stem borer: Sesamia inferens

Symptoms of damage
Pink larva enters into the stem causing dead heart symptom .
Identification of the pest
Egg - Bead like laid in rows within the leaf sheath
Larva - Pinkish brown with dark head
Adult - Straw coloured moth with white wings
Corn worm/Earworm: Helicoverpa armigera
Symptoms of damage
Larva feeds on silk and developing grains.
Identification of the pest
Eggs - Spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly
Larva - Shows colour variation from greenish to brown.
It has dark brown grey lines on the body with lateral white lines
Pupa - Brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris Adult
Light pale brownish yellow stout moth.
Forewings are olive green to pale brown with a dark brown circular
spot in the centre. Hind wings are pale smoky white with a broad
blackish outer margin.

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Web worm: Cryptoblabes gnidiella
Symptoms of damage
larva first feeds on the lemma of the flowers scraping the chlorphyll
Later on the milky grains.
Webbing of maize cobs and feeding on the flowers and the grains.

Ash weevil: Myllocerus sp.,

Symptoms of damage
Larva feeds on the secondary roots and adults on leaves.

Leafhopper: Pyrilla perpusilla

Symptoms of damage
Leaves become yellow
Covered with black sooty mould
Top leaves get dried up and lateral buds germinate

Identification of the pest

Nymph - Soft, pale brown dorsally and pale orange ventrally
Adult - Straw coloured, head pointing forward as a snout
Shoot bug: Peregrinus maidis
Symptoms of damage
Plants become unhealthy stunted and yellow.
The leaves wither from top downwards.
Panicle formation is inhibited and the plants die if attack is severe.
Honeydew secreted by the bug causes growth of sooty mould on leaves.
The midribs of the leaves turn red due to egg-laying and may dry up
subsequently.
Ear head bug: Calocoris angustatus,

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Symptoms of damage
Nymphs and adult suck the juice from within the grains when they are
in the milky stage.
Grains shrink and turn black in colour and ill filled (or) chaffy.
Orange and pale green nymphs and adults are seen on the ear head.

PESTS OF CUMBU
Shoot fly: Atherigona approximate
Symptom of damage
Young plants - causes dead hearts
Ear heads - chaffy grains in the tip and well developed grains in the
lower portion of ear heads ( Fig 24)

Identification of the pest

Adult - Greyish white fly.
Symptoms of damage
Young plants - causes dead hearts
Ear heads - chaffy grains in the tip and well developed grains in the lower
portion of ear heads

Identification of the pest

Adult - Greyish white fly
Management
Use seeds pelleted with insecticides (see sorghum)
Seed treatment with imidacloprid 70 WS 10 g/kg of seeds
Plough soon after harvest, remove and destroy the stubbles.
Set up the TNAU low cost fishmeal traps 12/ha till the crop is 30 days
old.
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Pray any one of the following insecticides
Methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml/ha
Dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml/ha
Neem seed kernel extract 5%
Neem Azal 1%
Stem borer: Chilo partellus, (see maize)
Pink stem borer: Sesamia inferen (see maize)
Stink bug: Nezara viridula
Symptoms of damage
Grains become chaffy or spotted black and shriveled.
A stinking smell emanates from the bug.

Identification of the pest

Nymph - Brownish red with multi colour spots.
Adult - Green in colour.
Management
Apply any one of the insecticides
carbaryl 10D, malathion 5D, spray carbaryl 50WP 750 g

PESTS OF FINGER MILLET

Pink stem borer: Sesamia inferens (see maize)

Earhead bug: Calocoris angustatus,
Symptoms of damage
Nymphs and adult suck the juice from within the grains when they are
in the milky stage. ( Fig 25)
Grains shrink and turn black in colour and ill filled (or) chaffy.
Presence of large number of nymphs and adults are seen on the ear head.
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Aphids: Rhopalosiphum maidis,
Symptoms of damage:
Yellowing of leaves
Aphid Colonies present on the central leaf whorl and ears
Presence of ants ( Fig 26)
Root aphid: Tetraneura nigriabdominalis

PESTS OF COTTON
Boll Worms, Borers And Defoliators
Defoliators
Tobacco Cutworm: Spodoptera litura Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Nature of damage & symptoms
The first instar larvae feed gregariously on the leaf, on which the egg
mass
Semiloopers Anomis flava Xanthodes graelsi Tarache
nitidula
Damage Defoliation Defoliation Defoliation
Larva Green with five Green with Dark brown
longitudinal horseshoe
white stripes and markings and
red prolegs warts
Pupa Leaf folds In soil among the In leaf
dry leaves
Adult Reddish brown Bright lemon Bright white
wings with yellow forewing wings with
markings with a lunar streak dark markings

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was laid by scrapping the epidermal layer, leaving the skeleton of veins.
The skeletonised leaf may dry up ( Fig 27). Then, the larvae move to
other leaves and feed by making small holes. In later stages, they
consume most of these leaf tissues and because of severe attack, only the
stem and side shoots will be standing in the field without any leaf or
bolls. Once squares, flowers and bolls are bored they prefer these better
than leaves. They bore into them, feed on the internal content completely
and cause shedding of squares and young bolls. This type of feeding is
seen only during early morning hours and night, and during hot sunny
hours the caterpillars will be hiding in the flowers or in the cracks of the
soil. This pest is found to cause damage in all stages of crop growth, but
fleshy green leaves should be present for egg laying.
Leaf roller, Sylepta derogate. Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Larva is glistening green with dark head, rolls the leaf in the form
of trumpets and remains inside. It is fastened by silken threads on
marginal portion. In severe cases, defoliation occurs.Adult is a medium
sized moth with wavy markings.
Flower Feeders
Blister Beetle:Mylabris pustulata :
Meloidae:Coleoptera
Beetles feed on the flower and pollen.
Flower weevil: Amorphoidea arcuata: Curculionidae:Coleoptera
Petals with small holes.
Borers
Cotton Bollworms
Cotton bollworms are the most destructive group of insects found
on cotton in all cotton growing areas of the world. There are three kinds
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of bollworms, viz., spotted bollworm, green bollworm and pink
bollworm. Among the three, the spotted bollworm is the earliest to occur,
as soon as the cotton plant is about 15 to 20 cm in height and continues to
feed on bolls. The other two occur from square formation stage, and pink
bollworm continues till picking of kapas and goes even to ginning mills.
a. Spotted bollworms: Earias vittella & E. insulana
Noctuidae:Lepidoptera
Nature of Damage & Symptom
In the beginning of the season, when the crop is a few weeks old,
the small caterpillar on hatching out from the egg leads a free life for a
few hours. Then it bores into top tender shoot, the portion of the shoot
above the damage
withers, droops and dries up, depending upon the locality up to 50
per cent of the crop may be damaged in this manner. When the squares
and bolls begin to develop, these caterpillars move from the shoots and
start damaging bolls by making conspicuous holes into them. The squares
and small bolls injured by the larvae drop away from the plants. The
developing bolls are also damaged and some of the damaged bolls fall to
the ground. The infested bolls, which are not shed, are destroyed by the
larvae eating the seeds and filling them with excrement. Such affected
bolls may open prematurely and badly. ( Fig 28)

b. American bollworm : Helicoverpa armigera

Noctuidae:Lepidoptera
Nature of Damage & Symptom The caterpillars feed on leaves,
squares, flowers and small bolls. When the squares, flowers and bolls are
attacked, they feed the internal content completely by thrusting their head

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inside leaving the rest of the body outside. The damaged squares and
young bolls drop away from the plants. The developed bolls and open
bolls are not attacked. ( Fig 29)
c. Cotton pink bollworm: Pectinophora gossypiella
Gelechiidae:Lepidoptera
Nature of Damage & Symptom
The caterpillars feed on flower buds, flowers and bore into bolls. When
they bore into flower buds, they feed on developing anther and style and
occasionally on ovary. When they are found in flowers, the flowers do
not open and give rosette appearance. The young bolls, when attacked,
are shed after a few days, but the larger bolls remain on the plant. Seeds
are destroyed and lint gets stained. The aperture through which they
make their entry into the boll is closed, and it becomes difficult to
differentiate between a healthy and infested bol1. ( Fig.30)
d. Red boll worm: Rabila frontalis Noctuidae:Lepidoptera
Irregular bore holes. Larva is red colour and adult is brownish yellow
moth. Other borer pests in cotton
Stem Weevil: Pempherulus affinis, Curculionidae:Coleoptera
Swelling on the stem just above the ground level and the young plants
are killed .Old plants lack vigour and strength and may break when heavy
wind blows. Grub is apodous. Weevil is dark in colour with two small
white patches on the elytra.
Shoot weevil:Alcidodes affaber, Curculionidae:Coleoptera
Terminal shoots with galls.Bore holes are surrounded by raised margins.
Boll weevil:Anthonomus grandis, Curculionidae:Coleoptera
Stem Borer:Sphenoptera gossypii, Buprestidae:Coleoptera
Plants with drooping leaves and wilting in patches. Adult is a brown
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colour weevil.
Sucking Pests
Cotton aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera
Nature of damage & symptom
It is a potential pest on cotton infesting tender shoots and under
surface of the leaves. They occur in large numbers suck the sap and
cause stunted growth, gradual drying and result in death of the plants.
Development of black sooty mould due to the excretion of honey dew
giving the plant a dark appearance.
Description
The aphids are greenish brown, soft bodied and small insects.
The alate as well as apterous females multiply parthenogenitically and
viviparously. A single female may give birth to 8-22 nymphs in a day
which become adult in about 7-9 days. Yellowish or greenish brown
nymphs found on the undersurface of leaves. They are often attended by
ants for the sweet honey dew secretion. Winged forms may be seen
under crowded conditions.
Thrips: Thrips tabaci, Thripidae, Thysanoptera
Nature of damage & symptom
Both nymph and adult lacerate the tissue and suck the sap from
the upper and lower surface of leaves and in cases of severe infestation
they curl up and become crumbled.
Description
Adult is small, slender, yellowish to brown with fringed wings,
nymph is very minute, slender, yellowish and microscopic.
Whitefly - Bemisia tabaci,
Aleyrodidae, Hemiptera
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Nature of damage & symptom
Nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves at the under surface
of leaves. Severe infestation results in premature defoliation,
development of sooty mould, shedding of buds and bolls and poor boll
opening. It also transmits the leaf curl virus diseases of cotton. The
insect is highly polyphagus.
Description
Adult is minute insects with yellow body covered with a white
waxy bloom. Nymph is greenish yellow oral in outline, along with
puparia on the under surface of the leaves.

Red Cotton Bug :Dysdercus cingulatus, Pyrrhocoridae,Hemiptera

Nature of Damage & Symptoms: Nymphs and adults suck the sap
from the developing bolls as a result water soaked areas are seen just
beneath the wall of the boll and stains the lint also.
Adults are red bug with black spots on the wings and the abdomen is with
white lines.
Dusky cotton bug Oxycarenus hyalinipennis,
Lygaeidae, Hemiptera
It sucks the sap from developing seeds in open bolls and stains the lint
black. Seeds discoloured and shrunken.
The adult is a small flat bug with dusky brown in colour.

Mealy bug Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae, Hemiptera

Nature of damage & symptom
Yellowing of leaves in older plants. Under surface of leaves and terminal
shoots covered with white mealy mass.

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Management of borer pests of cotton
Avoid continuous cropping of cotton both during winter and summer
seasons in the same area as well as ratooning.
Avoid mono cropping. Growing of less preferred crops like
greengram, blackgram, soyabean, castor, sorghum etc., along with the
cotton as intercrop or border crop or alternate crop to reduce the pest
infestation.
Removal and destruction of crop residues to avoid carryover of the
pest to the next season, and avoiding extended period of crop growth by
continuous irrigation.
Optimizing the use of nitrogenous fertilizers which will not favour the
multiplication of the pest.
Judicious water management for the crop to prevent excessive
vegetative growth and larval harbourage.
Application of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) at 3 x 10 12 POB
/ha in evening hours at 7th and 12th week after sowing.
Inundative release of egg parasitoid, Trichogramma spp., at 6.25 cc/ha at
15 days interval 3 times from 45 DAS
Releasing predator Chrysoperla carnea @ 1, 00, 000/ha at 6th, 13th
and 14th week after sowing.
ULV spray of NPV at 3 x 10 12 POB /ha with 10% cotton seed kernel
extract, 10% crude sugar, 0.1% each of Tinopal and Teepol for effective
control of Helicoverpa.
During bolling and maturation stage, apply any one of the
following insecticides (1000 l of spray fluid/ha):
Phosalone 35 EC 2.5 l/ha
Quinalphos 25 EC 2.0 l/ha
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 Profenofos 50 EC 1.5 l/ha

PESTS OF OIL SEEDS

PESTS OF CASTOR
Castor Semilooper: Achaea janata, Paralellia algira
Symptoms of damage
Damage to complete defoliation.
leave bare stems & veins ( Fig. 31)
Identification of the pest - Achoea janata
Larva- semilooper with varying shades of colour with black head.( Fig
32)
Abdomen – has a red spot on the third abdominal segment and red
tubercules in the anal region
Adult - pale reddish brown moth with hind wing having white spot in the
middle and three large white spots on the outer margin ( Fig 33)
Identification of the pest: - Paralellia algira
Larva- semilooper, olive grey colour with numerous longitudinal lines
Adult
Fore wing - white in colour with suffused band beyond it.
Hind wing: - has white median band, the outer margin grey at centre.
Identification of the pest: Paralellia algira
Management
Hand picking of older larvae during early stages.
Providing bird perches (10/acre) helps in reducing the incidence.
Spray neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) 5% synchronising with egg
and early larval stage.
The eggs are parasitised by releasing Trichogramma sp @ 50,000/acre.
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 Spray quinalphos or chlorpyriphos or monocrotophos
Castor Slug: Parasa lepida
Symptoms of damage
Feed gregariously on the leaves of castor and later spread over to the
entire plant.
Cause defoliation – leaving only the midrib and veins
Identification of the pest
Larva- slug like, ventrally flat, greenish body with white lines and four
rows of spiny scoli tipped red or black ( Fig 34)
Adult: - green moth with brown band at the base of the forewing ( Fig 35)
Hairy caterpillars: Euproctis fraterna,
Porthesia scintillans,
Dasychira mendosa
Symptoms of damage
Cause - defoliation
Woolly bear: Pericallia ricini
Symptoms of damage
Cause - defoliation
Identification of the pest
Larva- black with brown head having long brown hairs.
Adult: grey coloured moth. Hind wings are pinkish with dark spots
Management
To control early stage larvae, spray neem seed kernel extract (NSKE)
5% or spray chlorpyriphos 2.5ml or monocrotophos 2ml or quinolphos
2ml or neem oil 5ml per litre of water.
Capsule Borer: Conogethes (=Dichocrosis) punctiferalis

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Symptoms of damage
Capsule with bore holes.
Damaged capsules webbed together
Peduncle and capsules showing galleries made of silk and frass.
Identification of the pest
Larva: - pale greenish with pinkish tinge and fine hairs with dark head
and prothoracic shield
Adult – yellowish with black

PESTS OF GROUND NUT

Red Hairy caterpillars: Amsacta albistriga, A. moorei
Symptoms of damage
Caterpillars cause defoliation of the crop- all the leaves eaten away
leaving the main stem alone. ( Fig 36)
Identification of the pest
Larvae: Hairy caterpillar reddish brown with black band on either end
having long reddish brown hairs all over the body.
Adult: Moth with white wings. ( Fig 37)
Forewing - white with brownish streak all over and yellowish streak
along the anterior margin and head
Hind wing – white with black marking
A .moorei
Forewing - white with brownish streak all over and reddish streak along
the anterior margin and head
Management
Deep summer ploughing
Early sowing is done to escape insect pest damage.
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Inter crop one row of castor for every 5 or 6 rows of groundnut.
Crop rotation with sorghum/pearl millet or maize should be followed.
Vegetative traps utilizing Jatropa (wild castor) or Ipomoea prevent the
migration of the grown up larvae.
Irrigate once to avoid prolonged mid season drought to prevent pre-
harvest infestation.
Install 12 light traps/ha or bonfire in endemic areas.
Collecting and killing of adult moths are found very effective.
Collection and destruction of egg masses in the fields around light trap
areas.
Install 10-12 bird perches/ha.
Two hand or mechanical weeding at 15-20 days after sowing.
Spray A-NPV (2X 10^5 PIB/I) or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
Release of Bracon hebetor @ 5000/ha. twice at 7-10 days interval.
Conserve dominant predators like Coccinella sp. and
Menochilus sexmaculata and parasitoids like Chelonus spp.
Conserve the bio control population of spiders, long horned
grasshoppers, preying mantids, robber fly, ants, green lace wing, damsel
flies/dragon flies, flower bugs, shield bugs, lady bird beetles, ground
beetle, predatory cricket, braconids, trichogrammatids, NPV, green
muscardine fungus.
Inter cropping with pigeon pea, mung bean and soybean provides
increase in population of spiders.
Population of coccinellids is higher on groundnut with maize, mung
bean and soybean and Chrysoperla spp. is higher with maize and
soybean intercrops. Spray quinalphos 25 EC @ 1250 ml/ha or 500
ml of Dichlorvas (76%) 4 ml/ha to control full grown insect pests.
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Groundnut leaf miner: Aproaerema modicella
Symptoms of damage
Young larvae initially mine into the leaflets, feed on the mesophyll and
form small brown blotches on the leaf. ( Fig 38)
Later stages larvae web the leaflets together and feed on them,
remaining within the folds.
Severely attacked field looks "burnt" from a distance.
Identification of the pest
Eggs - Shiny white and are laid singly on the underside of the leaflets.
Larvae - Green in colour with dark head and prothroax
Adult - Brownish grey moth, 6 mm long with 10 mm wing span.
Forewings with white spot on the costal margin
Management
Stray planting of cowpea or soybean as trap crop.
Crop rotation with non leguminous crop is advised in case of severe
recurring problem.
Crop rotation of groundnut with soybean and other leguminous crops
should be avoided.Collect and destroy egg masses and early instars larvae
Install light trap @ 12/ha for mass trapping.
Release Trichogramma Chilonis @ 50000/ha twice (7-10 days
interval).
Conserve the bio control population of spiders, long horned grasshoppers,
preying mantids, robber fly, ants, green lace wing, damsel flies/dragon flies,
flower bugs, shield bugs, lady bird beetles, ground beetle, predatory cricket,
braconids, trichogrammatids, NPV, green muscardine fungus
Mulching with rice straw causes reduction in leaf miner incidence and
increase the percentage parasitisation.
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 Intercropping groundnut with Pennisetum glacum enhances the
parasitisation Goniozus spp. on leaf miner.
Effective control could be achieved if insecticide is applied at 45 and
70 days after planting.
Spray quinalphos 25 EC 2ml or methyldemeton 25 EC 1.6ml or
dimethoate 30 EC 2ml per litre of water.

Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura

Symptoms of damage
Freshly hatched larvae feed gregariously, scraping the chlorophyll, soon
disperse.
Sometimes the feeding is so heavy that only petioles and branches are
left behind (Fig 39)
For identification and management (see cotton)
Aphids: Aphis craccivora
Symptoms of damage
Wilting of tender shoots during hot weather.
Stunting and distortion of the foliage and stems.
They excrete honeydew on which sooty molds flow forming a black
coating.
Act as vector for peanut stripe virus and groundnut rosette virus complex.
Identification of the pest
Nymphs & Adult: Reddish to dark brown coloured with cornicles in the
abdomen
Jassids: Empoasca kerri,

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Symptoms of damage
Nymphs and adults inject toxins resulting in whitening of veins and
chlorotic patches especially at the tips of leaflets, in a typical 'V' shape.
Heavily attacked crop looks yellow and gives a scorched appearance
known as 'hopper burn'.
Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis a. Scirtothrips dorsalis
Symptoms of damage
Tender leaves showing yellowish green patches on the upper surface
and brown necrotic areas and silvery sheen on the lower surface.
Severe infestations cause stunted plants.
B. Caliothrips indicus
Symptoms of damage
Older /lower leaves showing white spots /marks or streaks intermingled
with black excreta on the surface.
C. Frankliniella schultzei
Symptoms of damage
Young/ terminal leaves showing white scars
Transmits peanut bud necrosis.

Termites: Odontotermes spp

Symptoms of damage
Wilting of plants in patches
Termites penetrate and hollow out the tap root and stem thus kill the
plant.
Bore holes into pods and damage the seed.

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It removes the soft corky tissue from between the veins of pods causing
scarification, weaken the shells, make them liable to entry and growth of
Aspergillus flavus that produces aflotoxins.

PESTS OF MUSTARD
Diamondback moth: Plutella xylostella
Symptoms of damage
Whitish patches due to scrapping of epidermal leaf tissues by young
larvae ( Fig 40)
The leaves give a withered appearance but in later stages larvae bore
holes in the leaves.
Leaves may be eaten up completely.
It also bores into pods and feeds developing seed
Identification of the pest
Larva - Yellowish green, with fine erect black hairs scattered all over the
body.
Adult
Small grayish brown having pale whitish narrow wings with yellow
inner margins ( Fig. 41)
Forewings - have three white triangular spots along the inner-margin.
Triangular markings of opposite wings appear as diamond shaped
Hind wings – have a fringe of long fine hairs
Management
Installing pheromone trap @ 5/ ac. to monitor the moth activity
Collection and careful destruction of the larvae at gregarious stage at
least twice a week.

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 Conserve Cotesia plutellae, as it is an important parasitoid for
diamond back moth. Diadegma insulare is also the most important
parasitoid of the diamondback moth For control of grown up larvae apply
5% malathion dust @ 37.5 kg/ha or 925 ml

Mustard sawfly: Athalia lugens proxima

Symptoms of damage
Initially the larva nibbles leaves, later it feeds from the margins
towards the midrib.
The grubs cause numerous shot holes and even riddled the entire
leaves by voracious feeding.
They devour the epidermis of the shoot, resulting in drying up of
seedlings and failure to bear seeds in older plants.
Identification of the pest
Larva - Greenish black with wrinkled body and has eight pairs of pro-
legs. On touch the larva falls to ground and feigns death.
Adult
Head and thorax is black in colour. Abdomen is orange colour. Wings are
translucent, smoky with black veins
Management
Summer ploughing to destroy the pupa.
Early sowing should be done.
Maintain clean cultivation.
Apply irrigation in seedling stage is very crucial for sawfly
management because most of the larvae die due to drowning effect.
Severe cold reduces pest load.
Collection and destruction of grubs of saw fly in morning and evening

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 Conserve Perilissus cingulator (parasitoids of the grubs), and the
bacterium Serratia marcescens which infect the larvae of sawfly.
Use of bitter gourd seed oil emulsion as on anti- feedant.
Spray the crop with malathion 50 EC @ 1000 ml/ha or quinolphos 25 EC
@ 625ml/ha. should be applied in about 600 to 700 liters of water per ha.

Cabbage head borer: Hellula undalis

Symptoms of damage
Caterpillars initially mine the leaves and make it white papery.
Later they feed on leaves and bore into stems.
Entrance hole is covered with silk and excreta.

Painted bug: Bargrada hilaris (cruciferarum)

Symptoms of damage
Young plants wilt and wither as a result of the attack.
Adult bugs excrete resinous substances which spoils the pods.
Identification of the pest
Adult: Bug is black in colour with red and yellow lines

PESTS OF SESAMUM
Leaf webber, roller and capsule borer: Antigastra catalaunalis
Symptoms of damage
The young larvae roll together a few top leaves and feed them.
In the early stage of infestation, the plant dies without producing any
branch or shoot. ( Fig. 42)
In later stage of attack, infested shoots stop growing.
At flowering, larvae feed inside the flowers and on capsule formation,
larvae bore into capsule and feed on developing seeds.
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Identification of the pest
Larvae: Greenish in colour with black head having short white hairs
Adult: Medium sized moth with reddish yellow forewings. ( Fig. 43)
Management
Early sown (first week of July) kharif crop is less infested than late
sown crop.
Intercrop with mungbean, pearl millet and groundnut.
Two sprayings of quinalphos 0.05% at 30 and 45 days after sowing.
Two rounds of dusting with phosalone 4% or malathion 5% dust @ 25
kg/ha at 30 and 45 days after sowing.

Hawk or Dead head moth (Sphinx caterpillar): Acherontia styx

Symptoms of damage
Caterpillars feed on the leaves and defoliate the plant.
Identification of the pest
Larva: Stout, sturdy, greenish with oblique stripes and with a prominent
dorsal curved anal horn on the 8th abdominal segment ( Fig. 44)
Linseed gall fly: Dasyneura sesame
Symptoms of damage
Fully grown larvae make a hole in the bud and damage the flower.

PESTS OF SUNFLOWER
Capitulum borer (Head borer): Helicoverpa armigera
Symptoms of damage
The larva feeds on the developing seeds and bore the head.
Fungal developed and head starts rotting.
The larva consumes leaf in early stage of growth and move towards the
capitulum and tunnel the head. ( Fig. 45)
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Identification of the pest and management (see cotton)

Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura

Symptoms of damage
The larvae feed on the tender leaves, shoots, bracts and petals.
Later, the larvae spread in the field causing defoliation. ( Fig. 46)
The larvae also feeds on the developing seeds in capitulum.

Identification of the pest and management (see cotton)

Leaf hopper (jassids): Amrasca biguttula
Symptoms of damage
The adult and nymphs suck the plant sap.
The infected leaves show pale yellow colouration.
In case of heavy infestation the leaves turn inwards.
The leaf edges may turn light pinkish brown.
Bird damage
Parakeet: Psittacula krameri
Symptoms of damage
The birds damage starts from the milky stage and continues till
harvest. ( Fig. 47)
These consumes on an average of 152 seeds/day.
Identification of the pest
It is slim, green parakeet with the typical short, heavy, deeply hooked,
red bill. Hollow space in a tree trunk is the nest of the bid.

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PESTS OF SAFFLOWER
Gram pod borer/ Capsule borer: Helicoverpa armigera
Symptoms of damage
In early stage of crop growth larvae feed on leaves and shoot apices.
Later, the larvae shift to the developing capitulum.
The symptoms are perforated leaves, perforated involucral bracts,
partially or completely eaten capitulum in the bud stage and bored
developing capitulum.
Safflower caterpillar: Perigaea capensis
Symptoms of damage
The larva feeds on the leaves and sometimes on capitulum too.
It also feeds on bracts, flowers, capsules. ( Fig. 48)
Identification of the pest
Larva: Stout, green and smooth. The anal segment is humped and the
body has some purple markings.
Adult - Dark brown in colour, medium sized moth on; Forewings are
dark brown with pale wavy marks; Hind wings are light brown.
Management
Intercropping with non-host crop like wheat.
Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.
Spraying of fenvalerate 20 EC @ 250 ml/ha.
Capsule fly/Safflower bud fly: Acanthiophilus helianthi rossi
Symptoms of damage
Newly hatched larvae feed on the soft parts of the capsules
Affected buds show small bore holes

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The infested buds rotten with a foul smelling ooze coming out of the
apices

PESTS OF PULSES
Gram pod borer: Helicoverpa armigera
Symptoms of damage
Defoliation in early stages
Larva’s head alone thrust inside the pods and the rest of the body
hanging out. ( Fig. 49) Pods with round holes

Identification of the pest

Eggs – are spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly
Larva - shows colour variation from greenish to brown. Green with dark
brown grey lines laterally on the body with lateral white lines and also
has dark and pale bands.
Pupa – brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris
Adult - light pale brownish yellow stout moth. Fore wing grey to pale
brown with V shaped speck. Hind wings are pale smoky white with a
broad blackish outer margin.

Spotted pod borer: Maruca testulalis

Symptoms of damage
Bore holes on the buds, flower or pods
Infested pods and flowers are webbed together. ( Fig. 50)
Identification of the pest
Larva - Greenish white with brown head. It has two pairs of dark spots
on the back of each segment

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Adult - Forewings- light brown colour with white markings; Hindwings
– white colour with brown markings at the lateral edge
Symptoms of damage
Dropping of flowers and young pods
Older pods marked with a brown spot where a larvae has entered
Identification of the pest
Larval – greenish initially, turns pink before pupation.
It has 5 black spots on the prothorax
Adult
Brownish grey moth
Prothorax – orange in colour
Fore wing - has a white stripe along the anterior margin
Blue butterfly: Lampides boeticus
Symptoms of damage
Buds, flowers and young pods with boreholes
Presence of slug like caterpillar.
Honey dew secretion with black ant movements

Identification of the pest

Larva – It is flat and slightly rounded; Pale green with a rough skin.
Adult - moth is greyish blue with prominent black spots in the hind
wings and a long tail; Ventral side of wings with numerous stripes and
brown spots ( Fig. 51).

Bean Aphids: Aphis craccivora

Symptoms of damage
Leaves, inflorescence stalk and young pods covered with dark coloured
aphids
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Honey dew secretion with black ant movements
Identification of the pest
Nymphs and Adult – dark coloured with cornicles in the abdomen

Leaf hopper: Empoasca kerri

Symptoms of damage
Leave mottled and yellowish in colour
Green colour insects found under surface of leaves
Identification of the pest
Adult – elongate, active, wedge shape, green insects

Pod bugs: Riptortus pedestris

Symptoms of damage
Pods with black spots
Shedding of green pods
Poorly filled pods with shriveled grains inside
Identification of the pest - Riptortus pedestris
Brownish black and hemispherical
Nymphs – resemble dark brown ants

Stem Fly: Melanagromyza spp

Symptoms of damage
The eggs are laid on leaves.
After hatching from the egg yellowish maggots bore the nearest vein
of the leaf.
The maggot then reach the stem through petiole and bore down the
stem.
If the infected stem is opened by splitting, distinct zig zag reddish
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tunnel can be seen with maggot or pupae inside it. ( Fig. 52)
The maggots feed on cortical layers of the stem, may extend to tap
root, killing of the plant.
Identification of the pest
Maggot: White in colour and remains inside the stem.
Adult: Flies are shining black and about 2 mm long.
Management
Deep summer ploughing.
Avoid pre monsoon sowing.
Use optimum seed rate and plant spacing.
Proper crop rotation with dissimilar crops should be followed.
Remove and destroy the damaged plant parts.
Spray monocrotophos 36 WSC @ 1 l/ha, twice, at the crop age of one
and three weeks. In case of severe infestation, apply phorate in the soil @
10 kg/ha before sowing.
Soil application of phorate 10 G @ 10 kg/ha or carbofuran 3 G @ 30
kg/ha at the time of sowing will prevent early infestation by stem fly.
One or two sprays of dimethoate 30 EC or 0.05% quinalphos 25 EC can
stop the damage.

PESTS OF SUGARCANE
Early shoot borer: Chilo infuscatellus
Symptoms of damage
Dead heart in 1-3 months old crop, which can be easily pulled out
Rotten portion of the straw coloured dead heart emits an offensive
odour ( Fig. 53 )
Bore holes at the base just above the ground level ( Fig. 54)
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Identification of the pest
Larva - Five dark violet stripes and dark brown head( Fig. 55)
Adult - Pale greyish brown moth with white hind wings( Fig. 57)
Management
Early planting during main season.
Intercrop: Daincha – low shoot borer incidence
Trash mulching: 10 – 15 cm thickness on 3 days after planting
Earthing up: 45 th Days After Planting (DAP).
Remove and destroy dead hearts
Spray Granulosis virus 106 – 107 twice on 35 and 50 days after
planting (DAP)
Tachinid parasite: Sturmiopsis inferens @ 125 gravid females from 30-
50 days of planting
Whorl application: Sevidol 4G @ 12.5 kg or Soil application:
Carbofuran 3G @ 33 kg/ ha or chlorpyriphos @ 12.5kg/ ha
Spray chlorpyriphos 20 EC @1000 ml / ha or NSKE 5 % twice.
Stem or internode borer: Chilo sacchariphagus indicus
Symptoms of damage
Internodes constricted and shortened with a number bore holes and
frass in the nodal region ( Fig. 57
Affected tissues reddened( Fig. )
Identification of the pest
Larva - four violet or pink stripes and light brown head
Adult - Pale brown with white hind wings
Management
Collect and destroy the eggs periodically
Detrash: 150 and 210 DAP
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 Avoid use of excessive nitrogen fertilizers
Egg parasitoid: Trichogramma chilonis @ 2.5 c.c / ha (6 releases from
4th month onwards at 15 days interval)

Top shoot borer: Scripophaga excerptalis

Symptoms of damage
Parallel rows of shot holes in the emerging leaves and ( Fig. 60)
Red tunnels in the midribs of leaves
Dead heart in grown up canes which cannot be easily pulled
Dead heart reddish brown in colour
Bunchy top due to growth of side shoots ( Fig. 61 & 62)
Identification of the pest
Larva - Smooth, white or cream coloured with a red coloured mid dorsal
line
Adult - White coloured moth. Female has buff coloured anal tuft in
abdominal tips
Management
Collect and destroy the egg masses
Release Ichneumonid parasitoid: Isotima javensis @ 125 females / ha
(prepupal parasitoid) [NOTE: fields showing more than 10 percent top
borer infestation.
Leafhopper: Pyrilla perpusilla
Symptoms of damage
Leaves become yellow
Covered with black sooty mould
Top leaves get dried up and lateral buds germinate
Scale insect: Melanaspis glomerata

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Symptoms of damage
Dark encrustations on the internode
Identification of the pest
Greyish black or brown circular scale

Wooly Aphid: Ceratovacuna lanigera ; C. graminum

Symptoms of damage
Nymph and adults suck the sap from leaves
Honey dew excrete – development of sooty mould fungus
White chalk powder coating on the ground and leaves.
Identification of the pest
Nymph - Third and fourth instar nymphs covered with white wooly
secretion
Adult - Apterous adults covered with white wooly secretion
Ceratovacuna lanigera - Light green colour
C. graminum - Light yellow in colour. Winged adult is black in colour
Termite: Odontotermes obesus
Symptoms of damage
Poor germination of setts ( After Planting)
· Characteristic semi- circular feeding marks on the leaves in the
standing crop ( Fig. 65)
· Entire shoot dries up and can be pulled out easily ( Fig. 66)
· Setts hollow inside and may be filled with soil
· Cane collapses if disturbed
· Rind filled with mud
Root grub: Holotrichia consanguinea; H. serrata,
Leucopholis lepidophora

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Symptoms of damage
· Yellowing and wilting of leaves
· Drying of crown
· Affected canes come off easily
Identification of the pest
i) Holotrichia consanguinea; H. serrata,
· Egg - White, almost round.
· Larva - Young grubs are translucent, whitish yellow in colour, fleshy
„C‟ - shaped
· Adults - Dark brown beetle
Management
 Set up light trap
 Provide adequate irrigation
 Crop rotation in endemic areas
 Collect and destroy the adult beetles present on neem, Ailanthus
and Acacia

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