INSECTS PESTS OF COTTON
SURFACE GRASSHOPPER
Technical Name: Chrotogonus
trachypterus
Family: Acrididae
Order: Orthoptera
Status:
OR
Potential pest of cotton, rice, vegetables,
barley, rice, sugarcane, berseem, fodder
crops
Distribution:
Pakistan, India, Africa
IMPORTANCE:
There are about 18,000 different species of Grasshoppers.
Found in a variety of Habitats like forests, grasslands, deserts and
on mountains.
Active during the day when it's hot, during the cool morning, they
stay still.
Eat 16 time its own weight.
Widely distributed in India, Pakistan and in the orient and afrrica.
DESCRIPTION OF STAGES:
The grasshopper life cycle only
has three stages: egg, nymph,
and adult.
Egg:
Oval in shape
Nymph:
Resemble the adults but
Smaller with wing pads.
Adult:
Rough, earthly colored.
20mm length, 8mm
width.
DURATION OF STAGES:
Egg:
Lay about 30-430 eggs in 2-15 egg pods with 15-45 eggs
per pod at depth 3-6 cm in soil.
Hatch in 20-30 days in summer and 5 months in winter.
Nymph:
Lasts for 8-10 weeks in winter and 30-186 days in
summer.
5-6 nymphal moults.
LIFE HISTORY:
Active period:
Throughout year, especially February to October .
Inactive period:
Inactive in winter, from October-November to January-February.
Optimum activity:
May to august.
No. of generation per year: 2
LIFE CYCLE:
MODE OF DAMAGE:
Both nymph and adults cause
damage.
Called “toka” as it cut away plants
at germinating stage.
Cut seedlings of cotton in April-
May and germinating wheat in
November.
Serious attack on low rainfall
area.
SPOTTTED BOLLWORM
SPOTTED BOLLWORM
Two species attack
Technical name: Earias insulana,
. Earias vitella
Family: Noctudiae
Order : Lepidoptera
Status:
o Serious pest of cotton.
Distribution:
o Pakistan, India, North Africa.
Host range:
o Cotton, Bhindi, Sonchal,
Hollyhock,Malvaceous plants
DESCRIPTION:
Earias insulana
Eggs
greenish in color.
Larvae:
Larvae are dull greenish
white with a number of
black marks on body.
Orange dots are also
present on prothoracic
segment during larval
stage.
Adult forewings are grass green
Earias vitella
Eggs
Off white in color
Larvae
Brownish with a
median longitudinal
streak
Ventrum is pale yellow
or greenish
Adult:
Forewings are straw
yellow colored
A narrow light
longitudinal green strip
in the middle
LIFE CYCLE
Eggs:
About 200-400 eggs
Laid singly on flower buds,
brackets, leaves
Hairy parts of plants preferred
for egg lying
In summer eggs hatch in 3-4 days
In wither eggs hatch in 7 days
Larva:
Pass through 6 stages
7-18 days in Aug-Oct
28-74 days in Nov- Feb
CONT’D
Pupa:
7-25 days in Aug-Oct.
41-87 days in Dec-March.
Pupal stage is prolonged in
winter.
Pupate on plants or in fallen
leaves
Adult:
Moth appears in April.
Live for 18-34 days in
summer
and 26-136 in winter.
DAMAGE:
Larvae of first molt prefer
feeding on flowers, square and
early buds
Make tunnels in the shoot
Maximum damage is done
during July- September by 5th
to 8th generation.
The larvae bore into the
terminal portions of the
shoots, which weither away
and dry up.
It kills the plants or causing
heavy i.e. 30-40% shedding
of fruiting bodies.
MANAGEMENT:
Non chemical control:
Early sowing of cotton crop.
Use of resistant varieties.
Clean cultivation and destruction of host plants including
eradication of Bhindi before sowing of cotton.
Biological Control:
Local egg parasitoid,
Trichogramma chilonis
important to reduce its
population.
Exotic egg parasite, T.
brasiliensis are important to
reduce its population.
CONT’D
Chemical control:
1. Spinosad SC 80ml /Acre
2. Cypermenmethrin (Ripcord/Lucky 10 EC)200-
250ml/acre.
3. Cypermenmethrin+profenfos (Polytrin-
C440EC),600ml/acre
4. Zeta-cypermenthrin(Fury 18.1EC),85ml/acre.
5. Lambda cyhalothin(Karate/Gaoong2.5EC),330ml/acre.
6. Bifenthrin(Talsar 10 EC),250ml/acre
7. Thiodicarb (Larvin 80 DF), 400 g /acre.
PINK BOLLWORM
Pink bollworm:
Technical name; Pectinophora gossypiella
Family: Gelechiidae
Order: Lepidoptera
Status:
Destructive pest of cotton.
Distribution:
Distributed worldwide
Host range:
Monophagus
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Pink bollworm is its worst enemy which not only causes
loss to crop but also affects the lint quality.
The economic loss it inflicts is heavier than the impact of
any other worm.
Depending on the extent of infestation and weather
conditions, this pest can cause about 20 to 30 per cent
crop loss.
It is estimated that the yearly loss from pink bollworm in
Pakistan is about one million bales.
Description:
Eggs
Oval, white and trun
brown later on.
Larva:
Initially larvae are white
then turn into pink.
Full grow larva is 8-10mm in
length.
Pupa is yellowish
brown equal to the size
of rice grain.
Adult are dark brown. Fore
wings have blackish spots.
Adult size is about 8-9mm
across the wings.
LIFE CYCLE:
Eggs:
100-250 eggs
Hatch in 5-10 days
Hatching period depends
on climatic conditions.
Larva:
larval stage lasts for 8-16
days.
CONT’D
Pupa:
6-17 days.
Pupate on the ground among falling
leaves, debries etc.
Adult:
Moth emerges at two distinct times.
May-June and July – August.
Adult stage lasts for 2-29 days.
DAMAGE:
The pest causes shedding
of squares, flowers and
then bolls.
The attack of this pest is at
worst from 15th August to
last week of September.
This larvae enter into
the squares called
‘Rosette flowers”.
Then enter into bolls . The
damage bolls fall off
prematurely .
It has been observed that by
controlling the pink
bollworm, cotton yield can
be increased up to 50%.
MANAGEMENT:
Non chemical control:
Destruction of off season cotton sprouts and alternate host
plants debris reduces its population.
After last picking, grazing of sheep and goats on unwanted
bolls in the field reduces pest attack.
Deep ploughing to bury affected bolls after harvesting by the
end of February reduces carry over this pest.
Biological Control:
Trichogramma chilonis
destroys its eggs before
pink caterpillar hatch out.
Anthocorid bug (Pirate Bug)
Feeds on eggs and first instar
larvae.
PB ROPE
CHEMICAL CONTROL.
Cypermenmethrin (Ripcord/Lucky 10 EC)200-
250ml/acre.
Cypermenmethrin+profenfos (Polytrin-
C440EC),600ml/acre
Zeta-cypermenthrin(Fury 18.1EC),85ml/acre.
Lambda
cyhalothin(Karate/Gaoong2.5EC),330ml/acre.
Bifenthrin(Talsar 10 EC),250ml/acre
Thiodicarb (Larvin 80 DF), 400 g /acre.
Profenofos 500 EC
permethrin 25 EC
ARMY WORM
Also known as Tobacco caterpillar,
Tobacco cutworm, Cotton leafworm and
Oriental leafworm Moth.
Technical name: Spodoptera litura
Family: Noctuidae
Order: Lepidoptera
o Status:
potential pest of cotton and tobacco.
o Distribution:
tropical and sub-tropical part of world.
o Host range:
also feed on Bhindi, potato, berseem, castor,
tomato and cabbage.
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL
Based on the available geographic records of this moth,
it is predicted that 48% of the U.S. will be suitable for
survival of this moth.
This pest is considered to be of concern from a
regulatory perspective.
It is believed to have potentially high economic impact in
terms of its direct pest damage and trade implications.
DESCRIPTION:
Eggs:
yellowish green.
Larvae:
Larvae is velvety black
with yellowish green
dorsal stripes.
The length of larvae
when it fully grown is
35-40mm.
Pupa
Pupa is brown.
Adult:
The moth are pale brown and
are about 22mm long and
40mm across the spread
wings.
The fore wings have beautiful
golden and greyish brown
pattern.
LIFE CYCLE:
Eggs:
Female lays eggs about 300 in
2-3 masses.
Average 175 eggs per cluster.
Hatch in about 3-5days.
Larva:
Pass through 6 stages
Full grown in 15-30 days
Pupa:
This stage lasts for 7-15
days
Adult:
Male 2-14 days
Female 3-15 days
DAMAGE:
Only caterpillars do
damage. They feed
gregariously for the first few
days and then disperse to
feed individually.
They feed on the leaves of
plants more especially the
green fleshy area of
leaves.
Consequently, the yield potential of the plant is highly
affected.
They are mostly active at night and cause extensive
damage particularly in tobacco nurseries.
MANAGEMENT:
Non –chemical control:
Hand picking of egg masses and caterpillar
Do not allow growing of Itist and Jantar on the
boarders or inside the cotton field as these weeds
result army worm attack.
Biological Control:
Natural enemies against
larvae include Compoletis
sp, Eribous sp. and Rogas
sp.
CHEMICAL CONTROL:
Carbaryal (Sevin 10 D),5kg/acre
Chlopyrifos (Lorsban/Durban40EC) 1000ml/acre
Thiodicarb (Larvin 80DF),400g/acre.
Acephate (Orthene 75 ),750g/acre.
Spinosad (Tracer240SC), 80ml/acre.
Lufenuron (Match 50EC), 100ml/acre.
Indoxacarb (Steward 150 SC), 175ml/acre.
Methomyl (Lannate 40 SP), 500g/acre.
AMERICAN BOLLWORM
Also known as Gram caterpillar, Corn earworm,
Cotton bollworm and American bollworm.
Technical name: Helicoverpa armigera
Family: Noctudiae
Order: Lepidoptera
Status:
In past it was not serious pest in country.
Now it is a challenge pest particularly on cotton crop.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan occurrence
Host range:
Also prefer sorghum, maize, wheat, tobacco,
sunflower, castor, potato, tomato, pea, cowpea, soyabean.
DESCRIPTION:
Eggs
Eggs are ribbed and dome
shaped. In the beginning
eggs are pale white. After
one day they become pale
brown.
Larvae:
Its larval instars are up to
8.
1st instar 1.75mm long
2nd instar 3.5-4mm long
3rd instar 9-10mm long
4th instar 22-24mm long
5th instar 24-35mm long
6th instar 35-42mm long
CONT’D
Pupa
Pupa is dark brown with a sharp spine at the posterior
end and measures about 14-18mm.
Pupal stage lasts for 8-15 days in active season.
Adult:
Moth is yellowish brown. Forewings are brown, having
greyish wavy lines and black spots of varying size on the
upper side.
Hind wings are whitish and lighter in colour with a broad
blackish band along the outer margins.
LIFE CYCLE:
Eggs:
600 to 1500 eggs
Hatch in 2-4 days
Larva:
lasts for 15-20 days.
Pupa:
Pupal stage lasts for 8-15 days.
Adult:
Male: 4-22 days.
Female 7-25 days
DAMAGE:
Its larvae are voracious feeder. Its attack on cotton starts
with the onset of monsoon rains i.e. about 2nd week of
August.
A single larva can damage 10-12 buds, flowers, squares
and bolls.
They eat the bolls very rapidly and cause considerable
loss to the crop.
The damage in the field is not uniform but it is in
patches. Its single larva may destroy 30-40 cotton bolls
or gram pods before it reaches maturity.
MANAGEMENT:
Non chemical control:
Handpicking caterpillar in the early stages of its attack.
Over irrigation and over fertilization should be avoided.
Ploughing of field immediately after last picking of the
cotton.
Alternate host plants should not be sown near cotton fields
such as Bhindi, moong and arhar etc.
Remove cotton sticks soon after harvest and also remove
affected bolls.
Biological Control
Ichneumonid wasp is larval parasitoid.
Braconid sp also use as parasitoid .
Chemical control:
1. Cypermenmethrin (Ripcord/Lucky 10 EC)200-
250ml/acre.
2. Cypermenmethrin+profenfos (Polytrin-
C440EC),600ml/acre
3. Zeta-cypermenthrin(Fury 18.1EC),85ml/acre.
4. Lambda cyhalothin(Karate/Gaoong2.5EC),330ml/acre.
5. Bifenthrin(Talsar 10 EC),250ml/acre
6. Thiodicarb (Larvin 80 DF), 400 g /acre.
