PESTS OF LADY’S FINGER

• Spotted/spiny bollworm: Earias insulana Boisd. ; Earias vitella Fab. (Noctuidae ;

Lepidoptera)
• Red cotton bug: Dysdercus koenigii Fab. ; D. cingulatus Fab. (Pyrrhocoridae ;
Hemiptera )
• Dusky cotton bug : Oxycarenus hyalipennis Costa (Lygaeidae;Hemiptera )
• Jassid/hopper: Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida; Empoasca devastans Dist.
( Cicadellidae ; Hemiptera )
• White fly: Bemisia tabaci Genn. ( Aleyrodidae ; Hemiptera )
• Leaf roller: Haritalodes (Sylepta) derogata Fab. (Pyralidae ; Lepidoptera )
• Green semilooper: Anomis flava Fab. ( Noctuidae ; Lepidoptera )
• Aphid: Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae; Hemiptera)
• Mites: Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisd., Oligonychus coffeae (Tetranychidae;
Acari)

BOLLWORMS
DISTRIBUTION – Country-wide; Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia
ALTERNATE HOST – Cotton, hollyhock, hibiscus, china rose, sunhemp etc.
BIOECOLOGY – Fecundity: 200 – 400 , eggs laid singly on flower buds, tender leaves,
young shoots ; Incubation period: 3 – 4 days, Larval period: 10 -15 days, 6 instars ; Pupal
period : 4-10 days , pupates in a cocoon on plant or among fallen leaves; Longevity : 7 -
12 days ; Life cycle : 17 – 29 days, several overlapping generations in a year. E. insulana
– larva is creamy color with well-defined finger-shaped processes and orange dot on
prothorax. E. vitella – larva is brownish with a white median longitudinal stripe and
without finger-shaped processes. Spotted bollworms are active throughout the year
reaching peaks during March-May and August - October. Female lays green coloured
eggs with longitudinal ridges on buds, flowers and fruits. Like brinjal shoot and fruit
borer, the infestation is seen on shoots before and after flowering, feed exclusively on
fruits. Infested shoots wither and wilt.
NSD - Caterpillars bore into growing shoots and later into buds, flowers and fruits.
Contents are eaten away and buds and flowers drop while young shoots droop-wither-dry
up. Infested fruits present a deformed appearance and show holes on them plugged with
excreta.
MANAGEMENT – 1. Collection & destruction of affected plant parts 2. Phytosanitation
should be maintained 3. Neem cake @ 250 kg/ha during land preparation 3. Neem oil @
5 ml /L with a sticker 2 times at early stage as prophylactic measure 4. Grow
cotton/hollyhock as trap crop 6. Spray triazophos @ 2 g ai/L or profenophos @2 g ai/L or
imidacloprid @ 0.5 g ai/L.

COTTON BUGS
D – Country-wide in all cotton and lady’s finger growing areas; Africa, tropical Asia,
USA and South America.
AH – Cotton and other malvaceous plants like hibiscus, abutilon, hollyhock; wild castor,
Trichodesma amplexicaule, Bombax ceiba , citrus etc.
BIOECOLOGY – Fecundity: 100-300, eggs laid in clusters or loose masses in cracks of
soil or on dry leaves near plant, IP: 4-5 days; NP: 30-35 days, 5 instars; LC: 34-40 days.
The red colored nymphs are marked by a row of 3 black spots in the middle of the
abdomen and white striations transversely. This is a multivoltine insect having five to
six gonadotrophic cycles in its lifespan, and constitutes one of the key pests of cotton and
other malvaceous plants. D. cingulatus develops faster when fed cultivated rather than
wild species, and host plant properties such as the weight of feeds and growth habit
(arboreal or herbaceous) could not explain the observed differences in survival and
developmental rate (Kohno & Thi, 2004). The cotton stainer bug causes serious damage
by feeding on developing cotton balls and ripe cotton seeds, and transmitting fungi that
develop on the immature lint and seeds (Ahmad & Schaefer 1987; Yasuda 1992).
Observations on the various biological parameters of the different morphs reveal
intraspecific variation, and breeding experiments suggest that they are not strictly genetic.
Their reproductive ability depends on host and insect density.
NSD – Nymphs & adults suck sap-shoots, buds, flowers, fruits-dry-fall; fruits can not
develop normally; become stunted and unsuitable for marketing; fruit bearing trees
severely infested.
MANAGEMENT – 1. Deep ploughing & irrigation 2. Phytosanitation 3. Netting 4.
Prophylactic spray with neem oil or NSKE @ 5 ml /L or annona SKE @ 5 ml /L is
effective 5. prophenophos or triazophos @ 2 g ai/L or carbaryl @ 2 gm ai/L should be
sprayed after removal of infested fruits 6. Acephate @ 315g ai/ha and lamda cyhalothrin
@ 22ml ai/ha will also be effective.

JASSID/ HOPPER
D- Country-wide
AH – Cotton & other malvaceous plants, brinjal, tomato, potato, caster etc.
BIOECOLOGY – Fecundity: 15-29, eggs inserted into leaf-veins on undersurface, older
leaves are preferred for egg laying; IP : 4-11 days; NP: 7-21 days, 5 instars; LC: 15 - 46
days; upto 11 generations/year, Longevity: 3 – 26 days. The highest incidence (16.44
leafhoppers/plant) was observed during March second fortnight, while the lowest (0.25
leafhoppers/plant) was observed during December second fortnight. The leafhopper
population had a significant positive correlation with the maximum temperature and a
significant negative correlation with rainfall. But relative humidity had no significant
effect (Jayasimha et al., 2012). Its infestation begins at very early stages of crop growth
(Faleiro and Rai, 1985) and continues up to harvest depending upon agro-climatic
conditions.
Adults are small, greenish yellow in summer and reddish in winter, fly away at the
slightest disturbance.
NSD – Nymphs & adults suck sap from undersurface, inject saliva while feeding leading
to “toxaemia”; leaf edges turn pale green and then yellow to brick red/brown, leaf
crinkling & curling occurs which then dry and drop, plants become stunted and flowers &
fruits get reduced
MANAGEMENT – 1. Late planting 2. Neem cake in soil @ 150 kg/ha ; neem-coated
urea instead of urea 3. Spray neem oil or annona SKE 5 % ai in early stage 4. Spray
endosulphan or prophenophos @ 2 ml ai/L or imidacloprid @ 0.5g ai/L.
WHITE FLY
D(distribution) – Bemisia is primarily a pest of cultivated plants in tropical and warm
temperate regions of the world. Bemisia is primarily a pest of cultivated plants in tropical
and warm temperate regions of the world. It is widely distributed throughout the
Caribbean Islands, Central and South America, Mexico, Europe, Africa, India, Australia.
AH (alternate host) - Sweet potato, cassava, cabbage, cauliflower, melon, brinjal, okra,
cucumber, gourd, chilli, potato etc
BIOECOLOGY – Adult whiteflies emerge through a T-shaped slit in the integument of
the last nymphal instar. Adults that emerge may simply fly up the same plant or over to
another plant. These are called trivial flights. Some individuals however, are primed for
short-distance migration of up to several kilometers. Migrating individuals usually
develop on plants that are senescing. These migrations can often be massive and can lead
to severe infestation of newly planted crops. F (Fecundity) : 80 – 120 , eggs laid singly on
under surface of leaves or on flower buds , IP (incubation period) : 3 -5 days , NP
(nymphal period) : 9 – 81 days , longer in winter , 3 instars , LC (life cycle): 14 – 122
days , longer in winter ; 10 – 12 over-lapping generations in a year, often reproduces
parthenogenetically ; The first nymphal instar is capable of limited movement and is
called the crawler. The crawlers usually move only a few centimeters in search of a
feeding site but can move to another leaf on the same plant. The second, third and
fourth nymphal instars are immobile with atrophied legs and antennae, and small
eyes. The nymphs secrete a waxy material at the margins of their body that helps adhere
them to the leaf surface. The red-eyed nymphal stage is sometimes called the "pupal
stage". There is no molt between the fourth nymphal instar and the red-eyed nymphal
stage but there are morphological differences. 4th stage nymph is a quiescent stage –
also called “pseudopupa”
NSD – Nymphs & adults suck sap from leaves, plants become weak, nymphs secrete
honey dew inviting sooty mould which interferes with photosynthesis, results in poor
growth & yield, indirect severe damage by transmitting leaf curl & mosaic virus, mottle
as well as golden mosaic virus.
MANAGEMENT – 1. Prophylactic spray with neem oil @ 5 ml /L in early stage 2.
Need-based spray with carbaryl @ 2 gm ai/L or profenophos @ 2 ml ai/L or imidacloprid
@ 25g ai/ha 3. Chrysopa cymbela Banks and Brumus sp. are active predators

LEAF ROLLER
D – Country-wide; Asia, Africa, Oceania
AH – Other malvaceous plants e.g. cotton, hollyhock, cassava, jute; brinjal
Bioecology – Fecundity: 140 - 200, laid singly on undersurface of leaves, IP: 2 - 4 days;
LP:15-35 days,7 instars; PP: 6 - 12 days, pupates in rolled leaves or in plant debris in
soil ; LC: 23-53 days ; Longevity:7-8 days ; 5 or 6 generations/year. First instar larva was
yellowish in colour possessing 3 pairs of thoracic legs and 5 pairs of abdominal prolegs.
Fifth instar larva had stout body with brown head. It was dorsally dark green and
ventrally light green. The appearance of brown colour strips on dorsal surface and
degeneration of prothoracic shield distinguished fifth instar larva from previous instars.
The last abdominal segment was produced to form a cremaster bearing six spiny hooks.
Adult moths have yellowish wings with dark brown wavy lines, medium sized –
about 2.8cm across the wing. Eggs are laid singly or in groups on the underside of the
leaves. At first, the larvae stay together and feed on the undersides, only later staying
alone inside folded leaves. From the second moult they have two dark spots just behind
the head on the first segment of the thorax. After a short pupal stage, the adults emerge.
The life cycle of leaf roller is about 30 days. The field population was highest in
November and December with 96.2% larval infestation while it was lowest in July and
August with 16.1% and 11.3% infestation respectively coinciding with the highest fruit
yield. A significant inverse relationship was observed between abundance; and each of
rainfall and temperature only in early season, rainfall and temperature in mid-season and
temperature in late season when rainfall receded. A significant direct relationship was
observed between abundance and relative humidity at the late season planting. The
females were significantly larger in size than the males. The sex ratio was 1.5:1 (male:
female).
NSD – Young larvae feed on undersurface; older larvae roll leaves from the edges
inwards upto mid-rib by spun silken threads; larvae feed on leaf tissues from inside, rolls
found hanging from leaves. The damage is extensive with broad-leafed varieties
appearing to suffer more than those with deeply divided leaves. Curling, drooping and
defoliation of leaves is common.
Management – 1. Collection & destruction of rolled leaves 2. Sequencial applications of
NSKE @ 5 ml /L and profenophos @ 2 g ai /L or acetamiprid @ 0.5 g ai/L

GREEN SEMILOOPER
D – Country-wide but serious in Gujarat; Australia, Asia, Canada.
AH – Other malvaceaous plants like hibiscus, cotton, kenaf etc.
Bioecology – The eggs are green and flattened. They are laid on the undersides of leaves
of a food plant beside the veins. Fec: 200 – 55 eggs, laid singly on upper surface of
leaves; IP: 2-3 Days; LP: 12-14 days, 5or 6 instars; PP: 7-9 days, pupates in a sparse
cocoon in a curled up leaf; LC: 32-35 days. Full grown larva is 25 – 30mm long, green
in color with five white lines on body. This Caterpillar is long and green, with yellowish
bands between segments. It is missing one pair of prolegs, so it moves like a looper,
although not related to the true loopers. The adult moth is brown, with an outlined pale
spot near the middle, and zigzag lines across, each forewing. It appears in epidemic form
in years of heavy rainfall.
NSD –The caterpillars are inclined to lie along a vein on the underside of a leaf. Larva
devours whole leaf , flowers, buds and even young shoots before feeding the developing
fruits, In case of heavy population, plant gets defoliated & stunted and hardly bears any
fruits
Management - 1. Collection & destruction of adults in early stage in small holdings 2.
Neem oil 5% at early stage when 1 or 2 plants are found infested 3. Bt @ 2 g /L may be
effective against early instars 4. Profenophos 2.5 g ai/L or carbaryl @ 2.5 gm ai /L or
acetamiprid @ 0.5 g ai/L should be sprayed.

APHID
Distribution – country-wide
Alternate host - highly polyphagous, feeds on a wide variety of plants. Winged forms
then migrate to secondary host species in the families of
Rosaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Malvaceae, Cruciferae, Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae,
Compositae and others.
Bioecology - Wingless females of Aphis gossypii vary in size and colour depending on
conditions. In cool favourable conditions they are medium-sized and blackish green or
green mottled with dark green. In hot conditions or when crowded they are smaller and
are a very pale whitish yellow. Most commonly they are light green mottled with darker
green. The dorsum has no dark sclerotized markings. The siphunculi are dark.
The cauda is usually paler than the siphunculi and bears 4-8 hairs. The body lengths
of apterae ranges from 0.9-1.8 mm. Marginal tubercles are only consistently present on
abdominal tergites 1 and 7.
Parthenogenesis on these hosts allows large populations of aphids to build up
quickly. The life span of a parthenogenetic female is about twenty days in which time it
can produce up to 85 nymphs. These mature in about twenty days at 10 °C and in about
four days at 30 °C. As autumn approaches, the winged forms migrate back to the primary
hosts. Here, both males and sexual females are produced, mating takes place and the
females lay eggs which overwinter, ready to repeat the life cycle the following year.
NSD - This is a polyphagous pest, feeding in colonies and completely covers the shoot
tips, buds and lower surface of leaves. Both nymphs and adults suck the sap. They also
excrete honeydew on which sooty mould develops.
Management
• Clip and destroy infested shoots
• Thoroughly spray neem or pongamia soap (1%) or pulverized neem seed powder
extract (NSPE) 4%.
• During pre-flowering period spray systemic insecticides like dimethoate 2g
ai/litre or acephate or acetamiprid @ 0.5 g ai/litre

MITES
Distribution – country-wide
Alternate host – They are polyphagous infesting brinjal, bhendi, beans, cotton etc.
Bioecology - Spider mite development differs somewhat between species, but a typical
life cycle is as follows. The eggs are attached to fine silk webbing and hatch in
approximately three days. The life cycle is composed of the egg, the larva, two nymphal
stages (protonymph and deutonymph) and the adult. The length of time from egg to adult
varies greatly depending on temperature. Under optimum conditions (approximately
80ºF), spider mites complete their development in five to twenty days. There are many
overlapping generations per year. The adult female lives two to four weeks and is capable
of laying several hundred eggs during her life.
NSD - The infestation of mites is mostly observed during the warm and dry periods of the
season. Nymphs and adults lacerate the leaves resulting in whitish grey patches and
affected leaves become mottled, turn brown and fall. Red spider mites are found in large
colonies on underside of leaves protected by the silk webbing constructed by the female.
Leaves present a characteristic blotches which become whitish then brown patches
appear. Later the entire affected leaf become discoloured and dried up.
Management
1. Spray acaricide like wettable sulphur 50 WP @ 3g/l. or emamectin benzoate @
12g ai/ha or spiromesifen @ 2g ai/litre or chlorfenapyr @ 0.3g ai/litre
2. As an alternative to synthetic acaricides, spray neem soap/pongamia soap 1%.
Thoroughly spray on the under surface of the leaves for good control.
3. Pesticide resistance is a serious problem in spider mites. Hence chemicals like
difenthiuron, fenazaquin, buprofezin, fenpropathrin and fenpyroxymate should be
used in rotation.