Lecture no.

22

PESTS OF CHILLIES AND PEAS

PEST OF CHILLIES
More than 20 species have been reported attacking both leaves and fruits of chilles.
Severe infestation of thrips and mites cause even death of plants affecting crop stand and
finally the yield. The borers reduce the quality of fruits upon severe infestation.
Major pests
1. Chillies thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Thripidae Thysanoptera
2.. Muranai mite/ Polyphagotarsonemus latus Tarsonemidae Acarina
Broad mite/
yellow mite
3. Tobacco Spodoptera litura Noctuidae Lepidoptera
caterpillar
4. Fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera Noctuidae Lepidoptera
Minor pests
5. Stem borer Euzophera perticella Phycitidae Lepidoptera
6. Cut worm Agrotis ipsilon Noctuidae Lepidoptera
7. Green peach Myzus persicae Aphididae Hemiptera
aphid

1. Chillies thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)

Host range
Tea, grapes, castor, cotton, Prosopis, Nymphaea pubescens
Damage symptoms
Leaves become crinkled, curled upward and shed. Buds become brittle and drop
down. Plants get stunted and bronzed. Nymphs and adults are tiny, slender, fragile and
yellowish straw in colour.

Bionomics



 Insect reproduces sexually as well as parthenognetically. Female thrips insert the eggs
into the veins and a female lays upto 40-48 eggs. Lifecycle occupies 10-20 days.

Management
 Grow resistant varieties like G5, K2, X 235
 Inter crop with a green manure crop Sesbania grandiflora (agathi) to provide shade
which regulate the thrips population
 Do not grow chilli after sorghum – more susceptible to thrips
 Do not follow chilli and onion mixed crop as both the crops are attacked by thrips
 Sprinkle water over the seedlings to check the multiplication of thrips carbofuran 3G @
200g/ 40 m2 area in the nursery
 Dip the roots of seedlings in monocrotphos 36 WSC @ 0.05% for 20 min. before
transplanting
 Dust carbaryl 5 D 25 kg /ha in the early morning
 Spray any of the following insecticides with water 500 L/ha
• Imidacloprid 70 WS 500-1000 g • Imidacloprid 17.8 SL 125-250 ml
or 17.8 SL 125-250 ml or 70 WS / 100 kg seed 1.000-
1.5L
• Emamectin benzoate 5 SG 200 • Lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC 300 ml
• Ethion 50 EC 1.5-2.0 L • Methomyl 40 SP 750-1125 g
• Fenpropathrin 30 EC 250-340 • Spinosad 45 SC 160 ml
ml
• Fipronil 5 SC 800-1000 ml • Thiacloprid 21.7 SC 225-300 ml

Dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml Methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml

 Encourage the activity of predaceous thrips: Scolothrips indicus and Franklinothrips
megalops in the field

2. Muranai mite/ Broad mite/ yellow mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus

(Tarsonemidae: Acarina)
Damage symptoms



 Sudden curling and crinkling of leaves followed by blister patches are initial symptoms
of severely attacked plants. Petiole in a few cases becomes elongated and it is referred to
“rat tail” symptom. Later they stop growing and die.

Bionomics
The eggs are minute and oval in shape and are laid on the ventral surface of young
leaves or on leaf buds. Larva has 3 pairs of legs move sluggishly. The adults measure 0.1
mm in length and bear 4 pairs of the legs. They are yellowish green in colour and translucent
in nature. The egg, larval nymphal and adult period occupies 1.5 – 2, 1.5, 1 and 8-10 days,
respectively.
Management
 Spray any of the following insecticides with 500 -750 L water/ha
• Buprofezin 25 SC 300-600 ml • Fenpyroximate 5 EC 300-600 ml
• Chlorfenapyr 10 SC 750-1000 ml • Hexythiazox 5.45 300-500 ml
• Diafenthiuron 50 WP 600 g • Lambda cyhalothrin 5 EC 300 ml
• Ethion 50 EC 1.5-2.0 L • Milbemectin 1 EC 325ml
• Fenazaquin 10 EC 1.25 L • Propargite 57 EC 1.5 L
• Fenpropathrin 30 EC 250-340 ml • Spiromesifen 22.9 SC 400 g
• Dicofol 18.5 EC @ 2 L • Phosalone 35 EC 1.5 L
• Wettable sulphur 50 WP @ 4 kg

 Encourage the activity of predatory mite: Amblyseius ovalis

3. Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Refer cotton



4. Fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
For host range, damage symptoms, bionomics refer cotton

Management
Follow IPM practices as given for cotton
Spray Fipronil 5 SC 800-1000 ml or Indoxacarb 14.5 SC 335-400 ml or
Methomyl 40 SP 50-1125 g or Novaluron 10 EC 375 ml or Spinosad 45 SC 160 ml
or Thiodicarb 75 WP 625-1000 g

5. Stem borer: Euzophera perticella (Phycitidae: Lepidoptera)

Refer Brinjal



6. Cut worm: Agrotis ipsilon (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

The greasy cut worms come out during night and cut the seedlings at ground
level and eat tender leaves. Larva: Black with pale mid dorsal stripes; head pale
brown, skin with coarse granules interspersed with small granules. Adult: Forewing
pale brown with dark purplish brown along costal and towards base; hind wing white
with brown tinge.
ETL: 2 larvae/ metre row

A- Adult, B- Egg, C- Larva, D- Pupa

Management
• Hand pick and destroy the larvae – morning and evening hours on cracks and
crevices in the field
• Plough the soil during summer months to expose larvae and pupae for
predation by birds.
• Operate light trap @ 12 traps/ ha
• Place pheromone traps @ 12 traps/ ha to attract male moths
• Poison bait: Rice bran 12.5 Kg +Molasses or Brown sugar 2.5Kg + Carbaryl 50
WP 1.25 Kg – Mix the ingredients well – Keep around the field in the evening
hours
• Irrigate in day time to expose larvae for avian predators
• Insecticides: Endosulfan 35EC @ 1 L/ha or chlorpyriphos 20EC @ 1 L/ha or
neem oil @ 3%



7. Green peach aphid: Myzus persicae (Aphididae: Hemiptera)
Leaves get curled and crinkled coated with honeydew and sooty mould. Plants
remain stunted. Adult is mostly yellow in colour.

Management
 Treat 1.0 kg seeds with Imidacloprid 70WS 10- 15 g
 Spray methyl demeton 25 EC or dimethoate 500 ml or neem based
formulations 0.5 -1.0 L or Imidacloprid 70 WS 500-1000 ml or Imidacloprid
17.8 SL 125-250 ml or Fipronil 5 SC 800-1000 ml or Imidacloprid 17.8 SL
125-250 ml

PESTS OF PEAS
Major pests

1. Pea Leaf-miner Chromatomyia Agromyzidae Diptera

horticola

2. Pea Stem Fly Ophiomyiil phaseoli Agromyzidae Diptera

3. Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum Aphididae Hemiptera

Minor pests

4. American Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera Noctuidae Lepidoptera

5. Pea Pod Borer Etiella zinckenella Pyralidae Lepidoptera

1. Pea Leaf-miner: Chromatomyia horticola (Agromyzidae: Diptera)

Distribution and status: Wide distribution in Northern India and Indian sub-
continent
Host range: Cruciferous plants, antirrhinum, nasturtinum, pea, potato and linseed
(Linum usitatissimum L.)
Damage symptoms
The large number of tunnels made by the larvae between the lower and upper
epidermis interferes with photosynthesis and proper growth of the plants, making
them look unattractive.



Bionomics
The adults are two-winged flies having greyish black mesonotum and yellowish
frons. It is active from December to April or May and is believed to pass the rest of
the year in soil, in the pupal stage. The adults emerge at the beginning of December
and after mating, start laying eggs singly, in leaf tissues. Egg period 2-3 days, larval
period 5 days and pupate within the galleries. Pupal period is 6 days and the life-
cycle is completed in 13-14 days. The pest passes through several broods from
December to April-May.

Management
Spray 1.0 L of dimethoate 30 EC in 750 L of water per ha and repeat spray at
I5 day interval. A waiting period of 20 days should be observed for picking of pods.

2. Pea Stem Fly: Ophiomyia phaseoli (Agromyzidae: Diptera)

Distribution and status: Widely distributed in India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and
China Sporadic pest.
Host range: Peas - Phaseolus mungo L., Phaseolus aconitifolius Jacq., soybean,
cowpeas, Lablab niger L.
Damage symptoms
The maggots bore into the stem thereby causing withering and ultimate drying
of the affected shoots, thus reducing the bearing capacity of the host plants. The
adults also cause damage by puncturing the leaves, and the injured parts turn



yellow. The damage is more severe on seedlings than on the grown up plants.
Bionomics
The adult flies are metallic black. They are active in summer and mate 2-6
days after emergence. The female lays 14-64· elongate, oval and white eggs into the
leaf tissue with the help of its elongated ovipositor. The eggs hatch in 2-4 days They
pass through three instars and the larval development is completed in 6-12 days.
The larva pupates within its gallery and the pupal period lasts 5-19 days. The female
flies live for 8-22 days and the males for 11 days. The pest completes 8-9
generations from July to April and shifts from one host plant to the other in various
seasons. It passes winter as larva or as pupa.

Management
(i) Avoid sowing of the crop earlier than mid-October to check the attack of the
pest.
(ii) Remove and destroy all the affected branches during the initial stages of attack.
(iii) Sow the crop in the second fortnight of October to escape the damage of the
pest.
(iv) Apply 7.5 kg of phorate 10G or 25 kg of carbofuran 3 G per ha in furrows at the
time of sowing
(v) On the crop, spray three times 750 ml of oxydemeton methyl 25 EC in 750 L of
water per ha. The first application should be just after germination and the other
two at an interval of 2 weeks each.

3. Pea Aphid: Acyrthosiphon pisum (Aphididae:

Hemiptera)
Distribution and status: Cosmopolitan in distribution
Host range: Peas - Phaseolus mungo , Phaseolus



 aconitifolius Jacq., soybean, cowpeas, Lablab niger
Damage symptoms
Aphids are carriers of pea mosaic. Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from
young shoots, ventral surface of tender leaves, inflorescence and even on stems.
Curling and distortion of leaves, stunting and malformation shoots occur. Leaves
turn pale and dry. Honeydew secretion of aphids leads to sooty mould which hinders
the photosynthetic activity of the plants.
Bionomics
Adult aphids are soft bodied, long legged, pear-shaped, green yellow or pink in
colour with long conspicuous cornicles Both alate as well as apterous forms are
present and these are generally females; males are rare. Winged and wingless
males have been reported from Europe and USA but not from India. Reproduction is
parthenogenetic and viviparous. It takes about a week to complete one generation
and there are several overlapping generations in a year.

Management
Spray 1.0 L of dimethoate 30 EC in 750 L of water per ha when the attack
starts and repeat after 15 days if necessary.

Minor pests
4. American Bollworm: Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
Refer cotton





Management
Spray 5 L of chlorpyriphos 20EC or 2.0 kg of acephate 75 SP in 750 litres of
water per ha.


5. Pea Pod Borer: Etiella zinckenella (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)
The larvae damage the crop by feeding on flowers and pods.

Management
Spray 750 ml of endosulfan 35 EC or 2.25 kg of carbaryl 50WP in 750 L of
water per ha when the attack starts. Repeat after 15 days if necessary.

Questions Chilles and Peas


1. Skeletonization of brinjal leaves is caused by---------- Hadda beetle
2. Attacked brinjal fruits with boreholes plugged with excreta is indication of
presence of ------------- Shoot and fruit borer
3. Continuous planting of brinjal and ratooning is favourable for multiplication of ----
--------- Shoot and fruit borer
4. Little leaf of brinjal is transmitted by --------------- Leaf hopper
5. Site of pupation for ash weevil is ----------- Soil
6. Presence of circular holes and larva feeding by thrusting only a part of its body
into tomato fruit is symptom of Fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera -Say true or
false
7. Give the name of an introduced pest in tomato -------------- Serpentine
leafminer
8. Tomato leaf curl is transmitted by --------------- Whitefly
9. ---- feed on chili flowers resulting in pre-mature dropping of flowers and also
cause bud necrosis -Thrips
10. --------------- is the pest where only the adult cause the damage to fruits Fruit
sucking moth
11. Name the predatory thrips feeding on thrips
a. Thrips tabaci b. Scirtothrips dorsals
c. Thrips florum d. Scolothrips indicus
12. Muranai disease is caused by ------------------ on chillies-
Polyphagodorsonemous latus
13. Name the predatory mite feeding on mite
a. Aceria cajani b. Aceria sorghi
c. Aceria oryzae d. Amblyseius ovalis
14. _____________are resistant to shoot and fruit borer Pusa purple round, Arka
Kusumakar, Doli – 5
15. Notching of brinjal leaf margins by adults is the damage symptom by
________________- Ash weevil
16. Pea mosaic virus is transmitted by __________ pea aphid Acyrthosiphon
pisum