r op s

eed C
Oils
PESTS OF GROUNDNUT
Sunflower
Sesamum
Safflower
Castor
Mustard
 GROUNDNUT
a. Leaf feeders
Groundnut leafminer: Aproaerema modicella (Deventer)
(Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera)
• Serious in rainfed crops during July - Aug and Dec Adult
– Jan.
• Drought condition during the cropping season
promotes its incidence.

• Pest attack is less in irrigated crop (Feb-July).

• Bunchy variety is generally severely infested.

• This pest appears 4-6 weeks after crop

germination i.e., during Aug -Sept.
• The other hosts are redgram, soybean etc Eg
g
• Adult : dark brown tiny moth of 1 cm in wing
expanse.
• A white spot is present on the costal margin of
forewings.
• Eggs are laid singly on tender shoots. . IP- 3 days
• TheNATURE
larvaOF mine
DAMAGEinto the
leaves and produces
white blotches or blister- larv
a
like mines.
• Later stage larva webs
together the leaves and Dama
ge
feeds on them remaining
inside the fold.
• The affected field gives
burnt appearance .
• The full-grown larva is green
in colour with dark head and
prothorax.
• It is also called surali poochi.
Lp:14 days.
• Pupation is inside the web / Dama
blotch mine and PP- 4 days. ge
 • A larva can make a single mine
but 15-20 caterpillars can infest a
single plant.
In case of severe infestation 80
% of leaflet and 30 % of leaf
area are infested

Field view: affected

field gives burnt
appearance Damaged
plants
GROUNDNUT LEAF MINER, Aproaerema modicella (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera)
MANAGEMENT
ETL: 5mines/leaf at flowering stage or 10 larvae or mines/plant Or 15 larvae or mines/Pl `

1. Setup light traps between 8 and 11 P.M.

2. Rainfed crops sown before the 2nd week of July and
irrigated crops before the 2nd week of January suffer less
damage by the leaf miner.
3. Intercropping with bajra at the ratio of 1: 4 repels the adult
moth.
4. Regular monitoring and surveillance
5. Setting of light traps / pheromone traps
6. Collection and destruction of the larvae and infested
plant parts.
7. Crop rotation with a non leguminous crop.
8. Raising soybean as trap crop.
9. Spray insecticides any of the following :
Profenphos50EC@1.0ml/l /Cartop Hydrochloride @ 1.0 ml/l
Monocrotophos36SL 1 ml/l or acephate 1 g/l or chlorpyriphos 2.5
ml/l
2. RED HAIRY CATERPILLAR, Amsacta albistriga, Amsacta moorei (Arctiidae: Lepidoptera)
• RHHC is most destructive polyphagous, (sorghum, cowpea, cotton,
ragi, castor,cotton etc.) of rainfed kharif crop.
It is an endemic pest.
• Its seasonal outbreak in various tracts is largely dependent on
climatic conditions, edaphic factors and the local agricultural
practices.
• After the receipt of rains monsoon showers in June-July months,
on the second day evening by about 4 pm the moths emerge from
earthen cells in the soil. They mate and commence oviposition on
the same day.
Two species: their habits, nature of damage etc., are similar.

A. albistriga A moorei
forewings white with brownish streak anterior marginal
all over and yellow streak streak of forewings
along the anterior margin and the band on the
Yellowish band is seen on head are red in
the head colour.
• A. moorei moth has red coloured streak on anterior margin of forewing and
red band on the head.
A.
albistriga

A.
moorei
• The creamy or light yellowish eggs are laid in groups
mostly on the under surface of leaves, on clods, stones,
dry twigs etc. Single female lays 300-1000 eggs. IP: 3-4
days.
• The caterpillars in early stages are found in groups on the
underside of leaf lets and feed on them. Later they
disperse to surrounding plants. As they grow they feed
voraciously on leaves leaving behind the petiole and mid
ribs of leaves and the main stem of plants.
Egg
• They may be seen marching from one field to another in s
thousands.
• Full grown caterpillars of both these species are reddish Larv
brown with black bands on either end and have long a
reddish brown hairs all over the body arising on warts.
The head and prothorax are red. LP- 40- 50 days.
• The grown up larva burrows into the moist soil and
pupates in earthen cell. Mostly along field bunds a nd in
moist and shady areas under trees in the field. The insect
undergoes pupal diapause in the soil till next year. Damag
• There is only one generation per year. e
 1. In view of the wide spreadMANAGEMENT RHHC
outbreak of the pest over: a vast area, it is necessary
that the farmers adopt the management on a community basis.
2. Deep summer ploughing after harvest to expose diapausing pupae
3. Collection and destruction of egg masses and gregaiuos larvae.
4. Set up light traps and bonfires immediately after the rains to attract between 7.30
to 11.00pm and destroy the adults emerging in broods
5. Placing shoots of Jatropha or Ipomoea on bunds to attract migrating larvae and
spraying on shoots
6. Growing cowpea and castor as trap crops.
7. Natural enemies; Egg parasitoid: Trichogramma sp.
1. Larval parasitoid: Apanteles creotonoti, Exorista civiloides, Sturmiopsis iconspicuoides
2. Prepupal parasitoid: Megascelus scalaris ( Phoridae : Diptera)
3. Larval predator: Cantheconidia furcellata (Pentatomidae: Hemiptera)
8. Dust any one of the following @ 20-25 kg/acre:
9. Quinalphos 1.5 D or or Phosalone 4 D
10. Spray as a last resort: Emamectin benzoate 0.4g/l or chlorantraniliprole 0.2ml/l
Chlorpyriphos 20 EC 2.00 ml/l or Quinalphos 25 EC 2.00ml/l
 3. Tobacco Catterpillar: Spodoptera litura (Noctuidae:
• Lepidoptera)
Moths are medium sized, stout, dark
coloured with zigzag white markings on
the forewings and hind wings are white
without markings.
• Adul
• Eggs are laid in group on tender leaves. t
•
• Covered with tuft of anal hairs.

Neonate larvae from Egg

mass
 NATURE OF DAMAGE
• Caterpillars are smooth, dark green with cross black band on the
thoracic region in younger stage.
• Nocturnal in habit and hide during day time.
• The young caterpillar skeletonises the tender leaves, whereas the
later stages defoliate the plants completely .
Larv
a

• Grown up larva is stout, fleshy,

cylindrical with number of
longitudinal stripes and black spots
on the sides, measure about 3 to 4 cm
long. Pupate in soil
Pup
a
 4. Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilarctia (=Spilosoma) obliqua
) (Arctiidae: Lepidoptera)
• It is a highly polyphagous pest (96 plant species in
India). Besides sunflower, it infests millets, cotton,
jute, sun hemp, castor, cauliflower, cabbage etc.
• Adult is a brick red coloured, medium sized
moth with black spots on the wings, the body is
crimson coloured with black spots.
Adul
• Eggs are laid in clusters on the lower surface of t
leaves.
• Larva is hairy with black head , feeding
voraciously on leaves and defoliates the plants.
Damage
symptoms

Larv
a
 Management of leaf eating caterpillers (tobaco catterpillar & BHC)
1. Summer deep ploughing
2. To attract predatory birds broadcast sow 3o gm/h of sunflower along with main crop.
3. Collect and destroy egg mass & early instars’ larvae
4. Fix pheromone trap @ 6/ha
5. Spray Emamectin benzoate 0.4g/I or lambda cyhalothrin 0.5ml/l or Profenophos 2ml/l or
monocrotophos36SL@1ml/l or chlorpyriphos20EC@2ml/l, or diflubenzuron25WP @0.6g/l
6. Bt @iml/l and Nomoria relyi @ 1g/l at 35 days after sowing,
7. Second spray at 50 days after sowing with Chlorantraniliprole 0.2ml/l, or Lambda
cyhalothrin5EC @ 0.5 ml/l
8. Application of NSKE 5 % or Spray 5% custard apple leaf extract prepared in cow urine

9. Application of poison bait during evening hours @ 50kg/ha. (5kg jagarry

+625ml monocrotophos36SL+ 5-8 liters of water+ 50kg wheat or rice bran.)
• Brown hairy catterpillar
Creatonotos gangis (Linnaeus)
b. Sucking pests:
Jassid: Empoasca kerri Pruthi (Cicadellidae: Homoptera)
Alt. hosts: Groundnut, brinjal, chillies, cowpea, tomato, castor etc.
Both adults and nymphs suck the sap from young leaves, from the undersurface.
also inject toxin causing whitening of veins and chlorotic patches at tips of leaflets in
a typical ‘V’ – shape. and hopperburn in severe
cases.
Managemen t
In presence coccinellids @ 2 or
more / plant insecticidal sprays can
be limited.
Spray : Spray at 20 and 30 days after sowing:
Thiamethoxam 0.2g/l Dimethoate 30 EC @ 1.7 ml/l or
Fenthion 100EC @ 0.5ml/l or
Phosphamidon 85 WSC @ 0.5 ml/l

adu nymp Dama

lt hs ge
 2. Aphid: Aphis craccivora Koch (Aphididae: Homoptera)
• • It is a polyphagous pest.
• The tender shoots of 2 to 2 ½ months old crop of
groundnut
• Both nymphs and adults suck sap by congregate
on growing tips and young foliage resulting in
chlorotic patches and curling up of leaves.
• Flowers and pods are also affected.
• Excrete honeydew on which sooty mould develops
which interferes with photosynthetic activity of
plants.
• Vector : groundnut rosette virus and G.nut
stunt virus diseases.

Management
• Spraying with tobacco decoction (1 kg tobacco
boiled in 10 lit of water of ½ hour and make up to
30 lit + 100 g soap)
systemic insecticides like monocrotophos 1.6 ml/l
or Acephate 1g/I or dimethoate 2 ml/l are effective.
 3 . Thrips: Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom), Thrips palmi and

• Scirtothrips
Adults dorsalis
and nymphs Hood
lacerate (Thripidae:
and feed on Thysanoptera)
leaf surface.
• The injury results in
the development of
dull yellowish green Thrips palmi
patches on the upper
surface and brown
necrotic areas on the
lower surface and the Scirtothrips
leaves curl up . dorsalis
• T. palmi transmits peanut/groundnut bud necrosis or tomato
spotted wilt virus.
Management
Adopt a closer spacing (15 x 15 cm).
Remove infected plants up to 6 weeks after sowing. Frankliniella
Foliar spray with dimethoate 2 ml/l or imidacloprid 0.50ml/l or thiamethoxam @ 0.4g/l schultzei
or fipronil @ 2ml/l are
effective measures
Damage
symptoms
c. Root and pod feeders:
1. Termites: Odontotermes obesus (Rambus) (Termitidae: Isoptera)
• Workers are damaging stage. These insects cause wilting and death of plant.
• They feed on pod leading to the invasion of soil fungi resulting in rotting of
the pods. Holes on pod, root system is damaged
Management of termites
1) Identify and Collect and kill the queen
2) Regular irrigation
3) Destroy termite mounds by putting poison
4) One meter diameter termite mound put 2 aluminum phosphide
tablets and close all mound holes. Or chlorpyriphos20EC @3.3ml/l
and 18 liter of insecticide solution is poured on termite mound holes.
5) For termite infested standing crop drench the infested are with
Chlorpyriphos20EC @ 1oml/l
Note: Aluminum phosphide is highly toxic use carefully.
WHITE GRUB OR ROOT GRUB, Holotrichia consanguinea, H. serrata (Scarabaeidae: Coleopter
• Root grub is a polyphagous pest,
• Alernate hosts: pulses, groundnut, sugarcane, vegetables etc.
• It is a serious pest on groundnut in Kurnool and Anantapur districts.
• Adult is fully developed by the end of November and remains in the
pupal cell. Adult hibernates till early showers of rain are received .

• Adults emerge out of soil during first monsoon showers at dusk, mate and feed
on the leaves of the trees viz., neem, drumstick, subabul etc., and early in the
morning get back and burrow into the soil and lay the eggs @ single egg per cell
during April – July in the soil at a depth of 12 -15 cm.
• IP : 8-13 days. Beetles are active during May-July months and
disappear by first week of August .
• Upon hatching grubs feed on nodules, fine root lets and also girdle the
main root ultimately killing the plants .
They become full grown by Sept, end and move deeper down into soil .
• In case of severe infestation the patches of dead plants
• The cut end of the attacked stem of a dead groundnut plant is swollen.
• Full grown grubs are creamy white with a brown head and they are curled up in
position. C shaped.
• PP: 7 - 10 days. Adult is fully developed by the end of November and remains in
the pupal cell. TLC- 171 days, one gen. / year
2. Root grubs: Holotrichia serrata (Fab.) (Melolonthidae: Coleoptera)

Eg
g

Adul
t Pup
Management a
Deep ploughing.
Light trap between 7.3o to 8.30PM
Mass colln.and destrn.of beetles from branches after receiving
summer showers.
Spraying surrounding trees with Quinalphos @2ml/ll at first
monsoon showers
Flooding the field for 24 hours kills grub population.
Utilisation of fungal pathogens like Metarhizium anisopliae,
Beauveria brongniartii @5-10kg/ac+FYM
Seed treatment with chlorpyriphos 12ml kg seed or phorate 10 G M. anisopliae
15 kg/ha. affected
 Pod bug: Elasmolomus sordidus (Lygaeidae: Hemiptera)
• The bugs are dark brown in colour.
• Both adults and nymphs suck the sap from pods both in field and stores.
• Results in seeds get shrivelled and become rancid and give
bitter taste.
* The oil content and germination percentage affected.
• Besides causing damage in the field, it continues to infest the
pods in threshing yard and even in storage.
• Eggs are laid in the soil. The life cycle is completed in 7 weeks.

Management
• Spread leaf rubbish to make the bugs hide in it and burn it later.
• Collection of bugs Application of carbaryl 10 D @ 10 – 12 kg/ac or foliar spray with
malathion 2 ml/l
•
JEWEL BEETLE, Sphenoptera perotetti (Buprestidae: Coleoptera)

• It is important during rainy and post rainy

season.
• Adult is a dark brown beetle.
• Elongated dorso ventrally flattened whitish grub with
a globular head burrows into the stem close to soil
surface
• Branches may droop and the plants show wilting
and may die when the grubs reach the root.
• When examined grub or pupa can be seen in
hollowed stem.
Management
• Application of carbofuran granules in planting row
is effective.
 Pod borer (Earwig)
Euborellia (=Anisolabis) stali( Forficulidae:Dermaptera)
• Feeds on the kernnls of pods in the soil.
• Eggs are laid in clulters in soil or in pods. The life
cycle occupies 60-70 days.
• Apply to the soil malathon 5 D or @ 10 kg/acre
before sowing in endemic areas.

Millipede
Spirostreptus sp., Spriostreptidae
• Feed on the kernels in the field.
• Apply Poison bait
 PESTS OF SUNFLOWER
Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilarctia (=Spilosoma) obliqua
(Arctiidae: Lepidoptera)
• It is a highly polyphagous pest.

• Alternate hosts (96 host plants): Millets,

cotton, jute, sunhemp, castor, cauliflower,
cabbage etc. Adul
t

• Adult is a brick red or yellow or crimson

coloured, medium sized moth with black
spots on the wings.

• Eggs are laid in clusters on the lower

surface of leaves.
 PESTS OF SUNFLOWER
Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilarctia (=Spilosoma) obliqua
(Arctiidae: Lepidoptera)
The larva defoliates the plants and move
from one field to another.

The full grown larva is darkened with

yellowish brown abdomen having
Adul
numerous pale white brown and black t
hairs and It pupates in soil.

Damage
symptoms

Larv
a
 Larv
a

Damage
symptoms
 Field
view

Management
• Deep ploughing
• Light traps
• Collection and destruction of egg masses and gregarious larva,
• If the leaf is 30% then, spray NSKE 5 % or chlorpyriphos 2 ml/l or dichlorvos 1 ml/
l or indoxacarb 14.5%SC @ 0.3ml/l or spinosad 45SC @ 0.1ml/l or Emamectin
Benzoate 0.2g/l
• Openng of trenches between two field and dusting of chemicals in the trenches
• Dusting of malathion 5% @ 20kg/ha.
 Green Semilooper: Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Noctuidae:
Lepidoptera) Adul
The adults are light pale brown with a t
large golden patch on each forewing.
The caterpillars are plump and pale
green.
They cause damage by biting round
holes into leaves. Larv
a
On walking, they form characteristic
half loops.
Feeds on leaves. Egg
 LEAF EATING CATERPILLARS, Spodoptera litura, Helicoverpa
armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• They are polyphagous pests. Caterpillars eat leaves

and soft portions of the stems.

• H. armigera feeds on foliage and tender flower heads

and developing seeds. In severe cases there will be
Plants without leaves. (Ref cotton)

Management
• Dusting leaves and flower heads with methyl parathion
2D or
• Spraying with quinalphos 2 ml/l or thiodicarb 0.3 g/l or
acephate
1.5g/l or Spinosad 0.1 ml/l
(Note: Do not dust or spray during flowering period
before seed set).
 Sunflower head caterpillar: Helicoverpa armigera
(Hb.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• Here the caterpillar feeds on the developing seeds by making
zig zag tunnels on the heads.
• Some times they also bore into the back portion of the head and
referred to as head borer. And also feed on leaves .
 Management
❑ Deep ploughing
❑ Phermone trap @ 2/ac
❑ HaNPV @ 100LE/ac
❑ Egg parasitic: T. chinonis @ 1.25
lakh/ha
❑ Bt @ 1g/lt
❑ NSKE @5%
❑ Spinosad @ 0.10 ml Chlorantraniliprloe
0.2ml/l or Emamectin benzoate 0.3g/l

Apply only in late evening hour

Don’t spray any synthetic insecticides during
flowering period
1. Sucking pests: Aphids, Leafhoppers, Whiteflies etc.

1. Aphids, Aphis craccivora (Aphididae: Homoptera)

Leaf hopper ( Amrasca biguttula) (Cicadellidae : Homoptera)
• Greenish yellow adults, pale greenish,
transluscent nymphs suck sap from
undersurface of leaves injecting toxins
which result incurling of leaves and
ultimately hopper burn symptoms.
• Leaves dry up and drop down.

Management
• Seed treatment with imidacloprid 5 g/
kg seed or foliar sprays with
Imidacloprid 0.4ml/l or monocrotophos
1.6 ml/l or dimethoate 2 ml/l
Whitefly ( Bemesia tabaci) (Aleorodidae : Homoptera)
THRIPS, Thrips palmi, Scirtothrips dorsalis, Frankliniella dampfii (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)

• S. dorsalis infests lower surface of leaves which curl as

a consequence, while F. dampfii damages capitulum and
floral parts.
• Vector of necrosis disease

Management :
• Seed treatment with imidacloprid 5 g/kg seed is a better
option for conservation of natural enemies.
• Foliar sprays with monocrotophos 1.6 ml/l or
imidacloprid @ 0.3 ml/1- Two or three times are effective
measures.
 4. Non insect pest - Parrot: Psittacula krameri (Scopoli)
(Psittacidae: Aves)

• They come in groups during morning and evening hours and feed
on the developing seeds. They often cause heavy losses.
Damage symptoms
Other pests
Sunflower bud fly, Acanthiophilus helianthi : Tephritidae: Dipterans.
Maggot’s feeds on flower & flower buds
cause rotting and offensive smell.

Black hairy caterpillar, Estigmene lactinea , Arctiidae, Lepidoptera

Lacewing bug, Cadmilos retiarus , Tingidae, Hemiptera

Stink bugs, Nezara viridula , Dolycoris inidcus , Pentatomidae, Hemiptera

Ash weevil, Myllocerus spp., Curculionidae, Coleoptera

 B. SAFFLOWER
Safflower Aphid: Uroleucon carthami HRL. ; U. compositae
(Theobald) (Aphididae: Homoptera)

It is a major pest on safflower and regularly

occurs in AP and Karnataka.
Alt. hosts: Niger, gingelly, citrus, dhalia etc.
The incidence of pest occurs a fortnight after
crop germination.
It completes 4-5 overlapping generations in a
crop season.
Adult is a quite large aphid, black in colour with
conspicuous cornicle.
It appears at flowering and does not cause any
severe damage.
 B. SAFFLOWER
Safflower Aphid: Uroleucon carth ami HRL. ; U. compositae (Theobald)
(Aphididae: Homoptera)
Female produces 30 young ones by
parthenogenesis
Nymphs are smaller reddish brown in colour.
Nymph moults four times.
Both nymphs and adults suck sap from tender
shoots and leaves, excreting honeydew
* Sooty mould develops
* Plants become stunted and weak.
Uroleucon compositae
MANAGEMENT:
· Avoid delayed planting, The sown in September and October
the incidence of pest is less
· Sowing in 2 rows of sorghum around safflower as barrier crop
Brumus suturalis is predaceous on aphids
· Two sprays at 15 day interval with monocrotophos 1.6 ml/l or
dimethoate 2 ml/l or chlorpyriphos 2.5 ml/l are effective.
Forty days old crop should be sprayed with NSKE 5% or cotton
oil @ 1% with 0.2% soap powder At 40 and 60 days old crop
spray Dimethoate30EC@1.7ml/l or Thiomethaxam25WG @ 0.2g/l
or Aciphate75 SP @1g/l or Monocrotophos36SL @ 1ml/l

Dust Where ever water is scares for spray dust any of the following Quinalphos1.5D
or Malathion 5D @ 20-25 kg/ha.
Dusting should be done in morning hours. Initially pest activity is noticed on 4 rows
from the bund around the field, spray on those lines first.
LEAF EATING CATERPILLARS, Prospalta capensis (Safflower caterpillar) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• The larvae feed on the foliage causing extensive

defoliation.
• Adult is a medium sized moth, dark brown in
colour Forewing with markings and light brown hind
wing.
• Eggs laid singly or in small cluster on under surface of leaf.
Incubation period is 3-4 days
• The full grown caterpillar is smooth, greenish to brownish with the
anal segment humped . larval period is 2 weeks

▪ Caterpillars defoliate the crop and some time feeed on capitulam

and also attack bract, flower and young capsules .
▪ No seed setting and reduction in the yield. Yield loss: 62-100%
▪ . It pupates in soil . PP:8-9 days

Management.
Spray quinalphos 25EC @ 2ml/l Monocrotophos 36SL@1ml/l or
quinalphos 2 ml/l or chlorpyriphos 2.5 ml/l or indoxacarb 0.3ml/l.
 3. Gram Caterpillar: Helicoverpa peltigera, Helicoverpa armigera
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• Feed on leaves and also bores in to flower heads (capsules) and devours
the developing seeds.

Heliothis
peltigera
 Helicoverpa
armigera Larv
a

Adul
t
Management:
Spray 250LE/ha NPV during anthesis or Eg
spray quinalphos25EC @ 2ml/l , g
Monocrotophos 36SL@1ml/l
Leaf eating caterpillar: Spray Indoxicarb
15EC @ 0.3 ml/l.

Pup
a
 4. Stemfly (Agromyzid fly): Melanagromyza obtusa Malloch.
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)
• The maggots bore in to the stem and girdle
the plants.
• On the stem small swellings are seen. If the
branches are bored they droop and wilt and
finally dry up.
• Leaves turn yellow and dry up from margin.
• Flower buds dry up.
• The fly is medium sized with dark metallic
blue and black halters.
• Eggs are thrust into the tissues.
• Young maggots are small and white.
• As they grow turn yellowish white, robust
and cylindrical.
• It cuts an emergence hole and pupates inside
the stem.
Seedling mortality by stem fly stem tunneling by stem fly,
 PESTS OF MUSTARD
MUSTARD SAWFLY, Athalia lugens proxima (Tenthridinidae: Hymenoptera)

• This is one of the very few hymenopterous

insects to infest crops in India.
• Alt. hosts: Raddish and other crucifers
• Adult is small body and female are orange
yellow with black markings on the body, smoky
wings with black veins.
• The female posseses a saw - like ovipositor.
• Eggs are thrust singly with the help of saw
like ovipositor into leaf tissue.
• Fec: 35 / female very near the leaf margins.
IP:4-5 days.
 PESTS OF MUSTARD
MUSTARD SAWFLY, Athalia lugens proxima (Tenthridinidae: Hymenoptera)

• Larva is smooth bodied, dark and marked with

longitudinal lines.
• Resembles lepidopterous larva (caterpillar) except
for the possession of 8 pairs of prolegs (without
crochets). LP:13- 18 days.
• The larva feeds on the leaves, nibbling leaves initially,
biting holes later causing Skeletonisation of leaves, Heavy
defoliation
* On slightest touch, larva falls to ground feigning death.
• Pupation is in the earthened cocoon in the soil. PP:10-15
days

MANAGEMENT:
• · Collection and destruction of the larvae.
• · any contact insecticide.
MUSTARD APHID, Lipaphis erysmi (Aphididae: Hemiptera)
• It is a regular pest on mustard, active from Jan. – March.
• Whitish green aphids reproduce sexually and
parthenogenetically.
• Winged forms appear near end of season.
• Eggs are laid ovoviviparously, each female laying 3-9
eggs/day. Nymphal period is one week.
• Both nymphs and adults suck sap from leaves and floral
parts causing
* Curling and distortion of leaves.
* Sooty mould
* Sickly and blighted appearance of leaves.

MANAGEMENT
* Early sowing by 10 – 15 days
* Growing short duration varieties: T 6342, RLM 514,
Varuna, PK 9, RH 785, RLM 528
• ETL: 50 – 60 aphids per plant at flower bud initiation
• Sprays with dimethoate 2 ml/l or monocrotophos 1.6 ml/l or
methyl demeton 2 ml/l or thiamethaxam @ 0.20g/l
DIAMOND BACK MOTH, Plutella xylostella (Plutellidae: Lepidoptera)
• This pest have worldwide distribution on cruciferous plants.
• It is confined to the plants of Brassica spp. cauliflower, Brassica
oleracea var. capitata , turnip, Brassich rapa
• The pest is active throughout in the cold weather.
• Grayish brown moth with narrow fringed wings having pale white
triangular markings on inner margin of each forewing
anteriorly which form diamond like white patches dorsally
when wings are folded over back at rest. Hence the name,
diamond back moth.
• Female lays 50-60 small whitish eggs singly along the veins of the
leaves at night times on the undersurface. IP: 7 days.
• Caterpillars feed on under surface of leaves and bite holes in leaves
and cause serious damage. In severe cases, leaves skeletonised.
* Holes on leaves
* Skeletonised leaves on affected plants
* Withered appearance of leaves
• Full grown caterpillar is greenish with short thin hairs on the body and
body tapers towards both ends. LP: 14 days .
• It pupates in a silken cocoon on under surface of leaves. PP: 7 days.

MANAGEMENT:
• · Regular monitoring and surveillance.
• · Collection and destruction of the larvae and infested leaves.
• · Erecting pheromone traps@ 4/acre
• · Larval parasitoids Apanteles plutellae, A. ruficrus, Brachymeria sp.
• · Application of B. t 1g/l
• ·Dichlorvos 1ml/l or thiodicarb 1.0g/l or novaluron 1ml/l or indoxacarb 1ml/l or
spinosad @ 0.33ml/l .
PAINTED BUG, Bagrada cruciferarum (Pentatomidae: Hemiptera)

Serious pest of cruciferous crops, cabbage, cauliflower, radish etc

and is widely distributed.
Both nymphs and adults suck sap from leaves, shoots and pods
resulting in wilting and loss of vigour of the plant. It also excretes a
sort of resinous material which spoils the pods.

Management
Spraying with quinolphos 2 ml/l or dimethoate 2 ml/l.
 PESTS OF SESAMUM
LEAF webber AND POD BORER, Antigastra catalaunalis (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)
❖ This specific pest of sesamum.
❖ Adults are faint reddish-yellow with decorative markings on fore
wings; hind wings are pale yellow and transparent.
❖ Fecundity:100 to 130 shining flat eggs are laid singly on the tender parts of plants
( on leaves or flowers). IP: 4 -5 days.
❖ The larvae web together the top leaves or bore into tender
shoots and capsules and feed on them . The damage results in
* Webbed leaves at top with young caterpillars
* Bored shoots, flower buds and pods
* In case of severe infestation the yields are drastically reduced.
• The full grown larva is pale green with black head and tubercles
having thin hairs on the body . LP : 11-16 days.
• Hibernates as caterpillar within pods .
• Pupates in silken cocoon under fallen leaves or in soil crevices .
PP : 7-10 days.
• Infestation starts from 15 days old crop, peak activity in July – Sept .
 Larv Dama
a ge

MANAGEMENT
· Early sowing of kharif crop in first week of July
· Rabi crop or summer crop as ID crop is recommended to escape pest
and also for better quality of seed
· Collection and destruction of webbed leaves, infested pods at initial
stages of infestation
Foliar spray with dichlorvos 1 ml/l or chlorpyriphos 2 ml/l
The gall fly: Asphondylia sesami (Cecidomyiidae: Diptera)
It is severe in south India and also in Rajasthan
Specific pest on gingelly.
Adult is a mosquito like insect. Eggs are laid in ovaries of flower buds.
The small whitish maggots feed on the ovary, which results in the malformation of pod without
proper setting of seeds.
Galled buds and flowers fade and dry.
The pupation takes place inside the malformed capsule/pod .
Life cycle is completed in 23 – 37 days.
Activity starts at bud initiation, peak activity being in Sept. – Nov.
MANAGEMENT
Picking of galls, picking and burning shed buds.
Resistant variety in endemic areas is N 166 – 5
Sprays with dimethoate 2 ml/l or monocrotophos 1.6
ml/l.
 Sphinx moth or Death head moth: Acherontia styx (Sphingidae : Lepidoptera)
The moth is very large, brownish with a characteristic skull like
marking on thorax and violet and yellow bands on abdomen.
Dark brown forewings are covered with yellowish, bluish and grey
powdery scales. Yellowish hindwings are with two cross lines.
It is known to suck honey from combs and cause annoyance to bees.
Stout green caterpillar with yellowish oblique stripes
and a conspicuous yellowish curved anal horn feeds
on the leaves and acts as a defoliator.
Management
collection and distruction of larvae
Foliar spray with carbaryl 3 g/l or malathion 2 ml/l or phosalone 2 m/l

Larva
Adult
 Leafhopper: Orosius albicinctus (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
• Light brown coloured hoppers.
• Both nymphs and adults suck the sap and act as a vector of sesamum phyllody.
Symptoms of damage
Curling of leaf edges and leaves turn red or brown .
The leaves dry up and shed.
Management
• Remove and destroy infected plants.
• Seed treatment with imidacloprid or carbosulfan or spraying of monocrotophos
protects the crop from all sucking pests including jassids for about a month.
• Spray Monocrotophos 36WSC or dimethoate 30 EC@ 500 ml/ha combined with
Intercropping of sesame + redgram (6 :

sesamum
phyllody
Damage symptoms
Aphids: Aphis gossypii
Symptoms of damage
• Crinkling and curling of leaves.
• Leaves appear shiny and sticky due to honeydew excreted by the insects.
• Later sooty mold grows on honey dew and leaves have a black coating.
Identification of the pest
• Adult: Yellowish to dark.
Management
Seed treatment with imidacloprid (5g/kg seed) keeps the crop free of sucking pests
over a month.
Paint on stem with a mixture of monocrotophos: water (1:4) or imidacloprid: water
(1:20) at 20, 40 and 60 days of sowing.
 CASTOR
CASTOR SEMILOOPER, Achaea janata, Paralellia algira (Noctuidae:Lepidoptera)

❖ It occurs during August-January,

❖ Alernate hosts: Rose, citrus, pomegranate, Tridax procumbens.
❖ Adult moth is pale reddish brown moth with black hind wings
having white band medially and three large white spots on the
outer margins.
❖ P. algira: In forewings and hindwings, there are two whitish
lines which are parallel and continuous lines. Adult is a stoutly
built moth and Suck juice from citrus fruit.
❖ Fec: 450 eggs, blue green rounded and ridged eggs singly on
leaf @ 1 to 6 eggs / leaf. IP 2 to 5 days .
❖ The caterpillar feeds sparingly at first and feeds voraciously
during later stages leaving only mid rib and veins.
❖ Caterpillar is a semilooper, long, smooth, greyish brown in
colour. The first pair of prolegs is reduced.
❖ Caterpillar posess red or whitish side stripes .
❖ Full grown larva has black head, a red spot on the black loop
and red anal tubercles . larval period is 11- 15 days.
❖ Pupation takes place in the soil or among fallen leaves. Pupal
period is 10-14 days
• Full grown larva has greyish brown, black head, a red spot on the black loop and red anal
tubercles
Larv
a
MANAGEMENT:
· The larvae may be handpicked and destroyed.
Telenomus and Tetrastichus sp. Parasitize the eggs.
Braconid parasite: Micropletis ophiusae acts as
larval parasite whose cocoons may be seen
attached to larvae
Erection of bird perches @ 10 / ha
Application of neem oil 5 ml/l or NSKE 5% or B.t 1
g/l
Foliar spray of methyl parathion 2 ml/l or thiodicarb
1g/l or spinosad @ 0.33ml/l. or chlorpyriphos @
2.5 ml/l or monocrotophos36SL@1ml/l or
fenvalarate10EC@0.5ml/l 0r Cypermethrin10EC @0.5ml /l or
Dust : Methyl parathion2D or Fenvalerate 0.4D @ 20 to 25 kg/ha
3. Bihar hairy Caterpillar: Spilarctia (=Spilosoma) obliqua (Wlk.) (Arctiidae:
Lepidoptera)

Larv
a

Adul
t Eg
g

dama
ge
CASTOR SHOOT AND CAPSULE BORER, Conogethis punctiferalis (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)
It is a potential pest and occasionally becomes serious .
It is active from September to February when crop is in flowering.
Alernate hosts: Ginger, cardamom, turmeric, guava, peaches, cacao, pear,
mango inflorescence, sorghum earheads, soapnut tree etc.
Moth is medium sized having bright orange yellow coloured wings
withnumerous black dots or spots.
Female moth lays pinkish oval, flat eggs singly or in groups on tender parts
of plant and developing capsules. IP :6 to 7 days. Larvae bore into the shoots
as well as capsules and destroy them. Occasionally the larva is found at the
junction of the petiole with the lamina
The symptoms are
Frassy matter at the bored shoots
Webbed seed capsules covered with dark excreta.
Caterpillar is brownish with pinkish tinge and fine hairs arising from warts on
the body. The head and prothorax are brown. LP: 12- 16 days
Pupation ocurs inside the damaged stem or capsule, in a thin silken cocoon.
PP: 7-10 days. TLC: 25-33 days with three generations per year.
 MANAGEMENT:
Egg ✔ · Collection of infested shoots and capsules and their destruction.
✔ · Sprayings should be commenced from the time of formation of
inflorescence and again after 20 days.
✔ Spray of dimethoate 2ml/l or methyl demeton 2 ml/l or
monocrotophos 2 ml/l or profenophos 2ml/l

Larva : Conogothis
punctiferalis
 TOBACCO CATERPILLAR, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
✔ It is found through out the tropical and sub tropical parts of the world,
✔ Alernate hosts: tobacco cotton, groundnut, tomato, cabbage and various
other cruciferous crops.
✔ Moth is medium sized and stout bodied with forewings pale grey to dark
brown in colour having wavy white crisscross markings. Hind wings are
whitish with brown patches along the margin of wing.
✔ Pest breeds throughout the year. Moths are active at night. Fec: 300 eggs
in clusters. The eggs are covered over by brown hairs and IP: 3-5 days.
✔ In early stages, the caterpillars are gregarious and scrape the chlorophyll
content of leaf lamina giving it a papery white appearance.
✔ Later they become voracious feeders making irregular holes on the
leaves and finally leaving only veins and petioles.
✔ ETL 1 egg mass/10 plants. ✔ During flowering and boll formation stage, the caterpillars also feed on
the internal. contents of bolls causing irregular holes.
✔ Caterpillar measures 35-40 mm in length, when full grown. It is velvety,
black with yellowish – green dorsal stripes and lateral white bands with
incomplete ring – like dark band on anterior and posterior end of the
body. It passes through 6 instars. LP: 15-30 days. Pupation takes place
inside the soil, PP: 7-15 days.
✔
MANAGEMENT
Adults live for 7-10 days. TLC : 32-60 days. There are 8 gen/ year.
· Collection and destriction of the infested material from the field.
· Plucking of leaves harbouring egg masses / larvae and destroying.
· Setting up light traps for adults.
· Setting up of pheromone traps @ 12/ha
· Spraying NPV @ 250LE/ha.
· Release of egg parasitoid Trichogramma @ 50,000/ha/week four times
· Foliar spraying with thiodicarb 2ml/l or quinalphos 2.5ml/l.
· Use of Poison bait
 Spiny caterpillar: Ariadne (Ergolis) merione C. (Nymphalidae: Lepidoptera)
• It is a specific pest on castor.
• Butterfly is medium sized snuff coloured with wavy bands on wings.
• Caterpillar is green with short branching hairs all over the body and feeds on the
leaves by remaining on the upper surface of leaves. Pupa is a brown coloured chrysalis.
. Management:
Collection and destruction of the larvae and foliar spray with quinolphos 2ml/l or chlorpyriphos 2.5 ml/l are
effective.

Adul
t

Larv
a
 Castor slug caterpillar: Latoia (=Parasa ) lepida Cramer (Cochlididae:
Lepidoptera)

• Adult moth has green wings with prominent dark patch at the base of each forewing.
• Caterpillar has greenish body with whitelines,
slightly hairy with and four rows of spines and
tubercles scoli tipped red or black rows of, which
cause irritation on the exposed parts of human
beings due to glandular secretion.
• Ventrally larva is flat and moves like a slug.
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
Latoia
lepida
Management
• The pest should be kept in check by picking the gregarious
caterpillars and the cocoons which are found on tree trunks
and destroying them in water with a film of kerosene.
• Spray chlorpyriphos or Quinalphos @ 2 ml per litre of water if
pest attack is more.
LEAF HOPPERS, Emposca flavouscence (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
❖ Light green or greenish yellow nymphs and adults suck sap
from undersurface of leaf.
❖ As a result, the margins of leaf turn pale initially, later become yellowish and
cause hopper burn or drying of leaves and showing brown necrotic patches in
severe cases.
❖ Plants lose vigo r and yield is affected.
❖ Alernate hosts: brinjal, mesta, cotton, bottle gourd etc .,

Management:
❖ Seed treatment with imidacloprid 5g/kg seed or thiamethoxam
4g/kg
❖ seed, foliar spray with monocrotophos 1.6ml/l or dimethoate 2
ml/l. leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii
Serpentine
Symptoms of damage
• Larva Drying and dropping of leaves
Identification of the pest
• - minute, orange yellowish in colour and apodous
Adult - pale yellow colour fly
Management
• Spray neem seed kernal extract (NSKE) 5% or triazophos @ 2.5ml/litre of water.
 CASTOR WHITEFLY, Trialeurodes rara, Trialeurodes ricini
(Aleurodidae: Hemiptera)
The yellowish nymphs with waxy filaments are found in large
numbers on leaves.
Nymphs and adults suck sap causing yellowing and drying of
leaves in severe infestations.
Management
Application of methyl demeton 2ml/l or monocrotophos 2 ml/l
or triazophos 2 ml/l

CASTOR THRIPS, Retithrips syriacus, Scirtothrips

dorsalis (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)
Both the nymphs and adults lacerate and suck
oozing out sap from the plant tissues. The
plant loses its vitality. Terminal leaves turn
crinkled and silvery white.
Management
Spray application of methyl demeton 2 ml/l or
dimethoate 2 ml/l.