Presentation during the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) Seminar Series on November 29, 2018 at RDMIC Bldg., cor. Visayas Ave., Elliptical Rd., Diliman, Quezon City
Management of major insect pests of organically grown egglant
1. Management of Major Insect Pests of
Organically-Grown Eggplant
Dr. Pio A. Javier, Adjunct Research Professor
Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology
College of Agriculture and Food Science
UP Los Banos, College, Laguna
0927-329-3893 / pio.javier@yahoo.com.ph
Nati
Lecture to be Presented during the DA-BAR In-House Seminar Series, November 29,
2018, BAR Annex Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City
2. I
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lecture, participants
are expected to be able to:
Identify/recognize the major insect pests
of eggplant,
Describe the characteristic damage caused
by major insect pests, and
Discuss the organic pests management
methods against major insect pests of
eggplant.
3. EFSB as major constraint in eggplant prod’n.
Losses due to EFSB ranged from 50 to 75%.
INTRODUCTION
Wilted shoot Damaged flower Damaged fruit
4. Damage to flowers and fruits is irreversible
INTRODUCTION
5. Farmers tend to apply insecticide once
insect pests are noticed.
Insecticide application is not based on insect
monitoring but just on the presence of insects
and/or damage.
Farmers generally find it difficult to recognize
the different insect pests and their
characteristic damage in eggplant.
INTRODUCTION
6. Total pesticide input = 55% of production
input
Excessive insecticide application:
* 3 spraying/week
* ave. appl’n of 58 times per cropping season
* about 41 lit from four major pesticide groups.
INTRODUCTION
7. 1. Three body regions :
a. Head – bears the compound eyes, ocelli, mouthparts & antennae
b. Thorax – bears 3 pairs of legs and 2 pairs of wings
1. Prothorax – bears prolegs
2. Mesothorax – bears midlegs and forewings
3. Metathorax - bears hindlegs and hindwings
c. Abdomen – bears the spiracles and reproductive system
Characteristics of Insects
Lateral view of
a generalized
insect
8. Characteristics of insects …….
4. One pair of antennae
2. Three pairs of legs in
the adult stage
3. One or two pairs of wings
* Forewings (outer wings)
* Hindwings (inner wings)
1. Three body regions
9. General Types of Insect Development:
Adult
Pupae
Eggs
1st instar larva
2nd instar
3rd instar
4th instar
a. C o m p l e t e
Metamorphosis
5th instar
6th instar
10. b. Incomplete
Metamorphosis
General Types of Insect Development …………..
Adult
1st instar
nymph
Egg
2nd instar
nymph
3rd instar
nymph
4th instar
nymph
5th instar
nymph
6th instar
11. Classification of Insects
I. According to mouthparts
A. Chewing insects – remove pieces of
plant tissue, eat leaves.
B. Sucking insects – pierce plant
tissue and remove plant sap
C. Boring insects – bore into the
fruit or stalk and eat plant tissue
12. A. Insect Pests of Eggplant
Common Name Scientific Name
1. Eggplant fruit & shoot borer Leucinodes orbonalis
2. Common cutworm Spodoptera litura
3. Corn semi-looper Chrysodeixis eriosoma
4. Whitefly Bemesia tabaci
5. Leafhopper Amrasca biguttula
6. Flea beetle Psylliodes sp.
7. Lady beetle Epilachna vigintioctopunctata
13. 1. Eggplant fruit & shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis
Larva bores & feeds on flowers,
shoots & fruits
Total larval period is about 15 days
with 6 instars
Mature larva leaves the host & spin
a leathery cocoon in the plant
Pupation takes about 9.44 to 11.5 d
Adult longevity: 4 days (male) & 7.5
days (female))
Female lays eggs singly at night;
lays up to 121 eggs
Egg hatches in 4-6 days
14. 1. Eggplant fruit and shoot borer……………. continued
Damage:
- falling of flowers; surviving
flowers result in small and
irregularly shaped fruits
- wilting of infested shoots
- numerous entry holes
closed by dried excreta
- caused 50-75% yield
reduction
15. 2. Common cutworm, Spodopotera litura
Egg mass Larvae Pupae Adults
D a m a g e
• Larva feeds (holes) on
the leaf.
• Larva bores on the outer
portion of fruit.
16. 3. Whitefly, Bemesia tabaci
Colony Adult Nymphs & eggs
• Both nymphs and adults suck plant sap
• Transmit leaf curl virus
Damage:
17. 4. Leafhopper, Amrasca bigutulla
Damage:
* Nymphs and adults cause serious hopper burn by sucking the juice
of the plants which later results in stunted and unhealthy plants.
18. 5. Aphids, Aphis gossypii
Damage
* Affected plant parts ceases to grow in size, curls, crumples and
losses color.
* Plants weakened due to almost continuous sucking of high
population of this insect.
* Young plants usually perish while those that survived become
stunted and low-yielding.
Mummified
(parasitizedaphids)
19. 6. Flea beetle – Psylliodes sp.
Damage:
Initial feeding results to
yellowish-white pin holes
on the leaves which
enlarged to round holes
due to continuous feeding
Shiny metallic blue, ~1.69 to
4.23 mm long, w/ enlarged
hind legs for jumping great
distances.
Strong flier
More active early in the
morning & late in the
afternoon.
When disturbed, play dead by
falling off the ground.
Adult
20. Combination of all possible mgt. methods
* Growing a healthy crop – proper nutrition
* Use of resistant varieties -
* Knowledge of compatible cultural farm
practicescof
* Enhancement of biological control agents
* Botanical pesticides = plant extracts = concoctions
Organic Management of Insect Pests
21. Pest Management in Organic Agriculture
A. Biological Control
use of living organisms to suppress pest
population
compatible with other control methods
1. Parasitoid – Trichogramma, Trathala, Snellenius,
Telenomus, etc.
2. Predators - earwigs, stink bug, coccinellid
beetles, etc.
3. Microbial pathogens - nuclear polyhedrosis virus
(NPV), Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis, etc.
22. 1. Parasitoids
require single host to
complete its life cycle
always kill the host
Apanteles/Cotesia
attack eggs or larvae
parasitic during the
immature stage
adults are free-living
Trichogramma Snellenius
A. Biological Control
23. Trichogramma parasitoid: (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)
Parasitized by T. evanescens
Adult T. evanescens
Healthy ACB egg mass will turn black at day 3 and finally hatched as larvae
ACB egg mass that is parasitized by
Trichogramma will turn black and
adults will emerge in about 6-8 d.
Can cause 85 to 100% corn
borer egg mass parasitization
25. Level of Parasitism:
* 23% - Hordi, Sri Lanka
* 55% - GAU, Guharat, India
Philippines:
* Baltazar (1991) first recorded Trathala as a parasitoid of EFSB
* Alpuerto (1994) recorded 4-25% parasitism
* Solleza & Javier (2010) - 21.9% parasitism
* All are females, males were not encountered
Trathala flavoorbitalis, potential parasitoid
of eggplant fruit and shoot borer
Trathala flavoorbitalis
26. Biocon associated with cutworm, Spodoptera litura
Larvae could
be effectively
controlled by
nuclear
polyhedrosis
virus
Adults could be
effeciently
captured using
sex pheromone
Egg
mass
Larva
Pupae Adults
Parasitized by
Telenomus
First instar
larvae
could be parasi-
tized by
Snellenius
manilae or can
be prayed by
earwigs.
Green
muscardine
fungus
27. Parasitoid of cutworm egg mass = Telenomus sp.
Egg mass
Close-
up of
eggs
Parasitized eggsAdult Telenomus
28. Larva of Snellenius manilae (a) attached to the abdomen of second instar cutworm larva,
which developed into light brown cocoon (b) within 24 hrs; close-up of cocoon (c)
Adult S. manilae inside the parasitization cage with late first instar cutworm larvae.
a b c
Snellenius manilae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a promising
parasitoid vs. cutworm
Rearing in the laboratory on
larvae of common cutworm.
Also parasitizes corn
earworm, grass armyworm,
true armyworm
29. 2. Predator
usually larger than its prey
requires several prey to complete their life cycle
Earwigs - Euborellia annulata, Euborellia philippinensis,
Proreus simulans, Nala lividipes, Labiduria riparia
* feed on egg masses, young larvae and pupae
Flower bug, Orius tantillus - feed on eggs and early instar
larvae of lepidopterous insect pests
Coccinellid beetles = Micraspis discolor and Cheilomenes
sexmaculatus
Lacewing - Chrysopa carnea
A. Biological Control. . . . . continued
30. Recognition:
a. Earwigs
(Order Dermaptera)
elongated
flattened
mobile abdomen
is extended into
a pair of forceps
Proreus simulans Labidura riparia
Nala lividipes Euborellia annulata
31. General predator (earwigs)
eggs, larvae & pupae of Lepidoptera,
Coleoptera, Diptera
leafhoppers, aphids, soft bodied insects
Nocturnal (more active at night)
Preferred slightly moist conditions
Possess maternal instinct
Brood their eggs Care for first instar nymphs
Earwig inside the damaged fruit
32. MASS REARING OF E. ANNULATA…………..
Sterilize soil:sand
mixture (3:1 by vol)
Feed weekly with about 10-20 g
fish meal as food.
Feed w/ corn cob & dog food
mixture (~20 g each).
Release adults (36
females & 12 males).
Moisten the mixture
to ~ 27 – 30% MC &
maintain this MC level
throughout the rearing.
Place 2.5 - 3 kg medium
inside the plastic tray
33. Field releases of earwig in eggplant
• Place rice straw/organic
mulch at 2-3 weeks after
transplanting (WAT)
• Release earwigs 2X:
* 1st release (3 WAT) – 20,000 individuals/ha
* 2nd release (4 WAT) - 20,000 individuals/ha
* Earwigs feed on aphids, leafhoppers (nymphs)
and lepidopterous pests (eggs, larvae and pupae)
• Place 2000 individuals
(2nd- 4th instar nymphs) in
a plastic tray w/ moist soil
35. Coccinellid lady beetles – efficient aphid predator, feed on eggs
& small larvae of pests & on immature stages of homoptera
Micraspis discolorCheilomenes sexmaculatus
36. 3. Pathogens – Mcause disease (fungus, viruses, bacteria,
protozoa)
Beauveria bassiana
Chalky white spores
on brown planthopper
Metarhizium anisopliae
Infected black bug
a. Fungus
A. Biological Control ……. continued
37. b. Virus
They multiply in all internal organs tissues,
killing the host insects
The route of infection is through ingestion
They cause no disease on mammals, birds
fishes and non-target insects
NPV’s are highly specific insect pathogens
used as microbial pesticides
39. C. Use of Botanical Insecticides
Lemon grass Oregano
Historically, plants are source of botanical pesticides or biopesticides
have been used in many parts of the world especially in the Asian and
African countries before 1945.
Lantana
Luyang dilawLangkauas
Neem
40. Botanical insecticides (Plant Extracts)
- naturally occurring insect toxins extracted from plants.
Many reports on plants that are insecticidal
- some are not properly documented,
- extraction procedure is not valid
- age of insects are not homogenized
- correct exposure method are not followed
Many plant extracts, but not all, are less toxic than
synthetic insecticides to mammals
Plant extracts tend to break down rapidly in the
environment – needs frequent application
41. Use of solvent systems are not allowed in
extraction (water, vinegar and wine only).
Exposure to high temperature is not
recommended
Not all plants that are effective vs insect pests can
be used in organic crop production.
Majority of the recommended plant extracts also
have medicinal values (safe)
Plant parts used: leaves, roots, tubers, fruits, seeds,
flowers, whole plant, bark, sap, pods, bulbs, and wood.
42. Mode of Action
a. Contact Toxicity – skin contact
- evaluated by topical application and/or leaf spraying.
- mortality data at 24 and 48 h after the treatment
b. Anti-feedant and Repellent Activity
- a true anti-feedant gives insects the opportunity to feed on the plant,
but food intake is reduced until the insects die from starvation.
- repellants drive the insects away after exposure to the plant without
necessarily feeding.
c. Growth Inhibitory Effects
- feeding on plants treated with plant extracts result to emergence of
abnormal pupae and adults.
43. Preparation of crude extracts of neem (leaves and stems) and
langkauas (rhizomes)
Chop/macerate 2 kg of plant parts
Soak in 4 lit water for 24 h; add ½ bar perla soap.
After 24 hrs, filter the mixture & place filtrate (solution) in 16-lit knapsack
sprayer. Further macerate the residue (leaves/rhizomes) in about 11 lit
water, press, filter & place again the additional filtrate in the knapsack
sprayer (16 liters).
Spray the filtrate to the plant to the point of run-off in the afternoon.
Spray at 7-10 days interval depending on pest population. Generally, 10
tankloads are needed per hectare.
44. COMPLETION REPORT
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
Project Title: Management of Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer,
Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Other
Major Insect Pests in Organically-Grown Eggplant with Emphasis
on Biological Control Agents and Botanical Pestcides in Quezon,
Laguna and Batangas (January 5, 2015 – January 4, 2018)
Project Components:
Study 1. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Component Organic Insect Pest
Control Methods Against Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer (EFSB)
and Other Major Insect Pests of Eggplant
Study 2. Integration of Organic Pest Management (OPM) Strategies Against
EFSB and Other Major Insect Pests of Eggplant with Emphasis on
Biocontrol Agents, Botanical Insecticides and Other Non-Chemical
Control Methods at UPLB
Study 3. Verification of the Effectiveness of Management Strategies Developed at
UPLB Against Eggplant Fruit and Shoot borer and Other Major Insect
Pests of Eggplant in Organic Farms in Region 4A.
45. Table1. Average marketable yield and net income in Trials I and II as affected by
different control methods in eggplant.
Control Methods Ave. Marketable % Yield
Yield (tons/ha)1 Increase
Net Income
(Pesos)1,2
T1 - Earwig + rice straw mulch 24.35 30.80 602,780.00
T2 - Langkauas + oregano 19.80 14.90 482,780.00
T3 - Lemon grass repellent 18.12 7.00 432,880.00
T4 - Sanitation 18.85 10.61 456,280.00
T6 - Methomyl (inorganic fertilizer) 24.11 12.79 257,630.00
T7 - Control (untreated)
T8 - Earwig + rice straw mulch +
Trichogramma
T9 - Trichogramma + rice straw mulch
16.85 -
18.88 10.75
17.87 5.71
151,030.00
431,263.34
421,963.34
1Based on the yield obtained in Trials I and II.
2Price of organically-grown eggplant was set to P30.00/kg and P15.00 for non-organically grown eggplant
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS (Year 1)
Component Control Method Evaluated vs EFSB and
Other Major Insect Pests of Eggplant
46. Table 2. Proportion of fruits damaged by eggplant fruit and shoot borer and marketable yield as
affected by the integration of the different control methods in eggplant (Experiment II: Brgy.
Bautista, San Pablo City; June to October 2016)
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS (Year 2)
Control Methods
Total Yield
(tons/ha)
% EFSB
Damaged
Fruits1,2
Marketable Yield
(tons/ha)1,3
% Marketable Yield
Increment Over the
Control
T1- Rice straw mulch
+ earwig (20,000
earwig/release/ha)
24.26a 65.29a 11.00a 20.91
T2 - Rice straw mulch +
earwig (40,000
earwig/release/ha)
23.66a 65.57a 10.28a 15.37
T3 - Rice straw mulch
+ botanical 19.35a 64.78a 8.79a 1.02
T4 - Rice straw mulch +
earwig + botanical 20.63a 69.48a 10.03a 13.26
T5 - Rice straw mulch +
earwig + botanical
+sanitation
26.95a 63.40a 11.40a 23.68
T6 - Control
25.22a 69.79a 8.70a -
47. Table 3. Proportion of fruits damaged by eggplant fruit and shoot borer, marketable yield and net income in eggplant
using the organic pest management technology versus farmer’s practice (FP)in producing organic eggplant.
SUMMARY OF SIFNIFICANT FINDINGS(Year 3)
Trial/Date/
Location
Treatment
Total
Yield
(T/ha)
% EFSB
Damaged
Fruits
% Red’n in
EFSB Damage
in OPM Tech
over UT/PP
Marketable
Yield (T/ha)
% Market-
able Yield
Increment in
OPM Tech
over UT/FP
Net
Income
% Increase
in Net
Income in
OPM Tech
Over UT/FP
Trial I: Brgy. Bautista,
SPC (Jan - July 2107)
T1 - OPM 22.50 34.14 34.29 15.31 52.97 699,650 61.49
T2-Untreated
(UT)
14.08 51.96
-
7.20
-
269,450 -
Trial II: Brgy. Bautista,
SPC (March-Aug
2107)
T1 - OPM
21.76 37.58 40.77 14.84 57.68 688,050 68.86
T2-UT 15.05 63.45 - 6.28 - 214,250 -
Trial III: Brgy. Behia,
Tiaong, Quezon, Jose
Parlade (Feb -July’17)
T1 - OPM
5.48 17.59 59.00 4.54 49.12 96,900 100
T2 - FP 4.07 42.91 - 2.31 - (-10,700) -
Trial IV: Brgy. Behia,
Tiaong, Quezon;Sister
Felma Lagahit (Feb -
July ‘17)
T1 - OPM 14.20 26.67 15.71 10.39 36.86 447,900 45.32
T2 - FP 9.58 31.64 - 6.56 - 244,900 -
Trial V: Brgy. Santisima,
Sta Cruz, Lag (Feb -July
2017)
T1 - OPM
14.81 6.61 84.44 13.70 92.04 665,100 100
T2 - FP 1.85 42.50 - 1.09 - (-80,700) -
Trial VI: MJD Farm,
Brgy. Bocohan, Lucena
City (Sept. – Dec. 2017)
T1 - OPM 11.83 13.36 15.17 10.32 48.16
486,250
218,300
55.11
T2 - FP 6.32 15.75
5.35
Average T1 15.10 22.66 41.57 11.52 56.14 516,808 71.80
T2 8.49 41.37 4.80 142,583
48. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Implementation of OPM technology (integration of earwig releases +
mulching, regular removal of infested shoots and fruits, & spraying of
langkauas - neem crude extract combination) reduced EFSB
infestation by an average of 23%, & 41% reduction in EFSB infestation
compared with the Untreated / Farmers’ Practice of controlling pest.
OPM technology totally eliminated the use of synthetic insecticide,
and reduced botanical insecticide to ~8 applications only.
OPM technology provided an average of 56% marketable yield
increment & about 72% increase in net income compared with
Untreated plants /Farmers Practice.
release of predatory earwig tend to multiply in the field; EFSB
parasitization by Trathala flavoorbitalis is increasing.
The technology was extended to farmers during field day in Lucena
and Tiaong, Quezon and training in Brgy Santisima, Sta Cruz,
Laguna.
49. CONCLUSION
Two field releases of earwig (20,000 indiv/ release/ha),
spraying of 1:1 langkauas – neem crude extract
combination & regular removal of infested shoots &
fruits provided significant red’n. in EFSB infestation &
provided an ave. of 50% increase in yield & net income.
OPM technology implementation totally eliminated the
use of synthetic insecticide application.
OPM technology is also effective vs. other eggplant
insect pests (aphids, leafhopper, whiteflies, flea beetle).
The Researchers are highly confident that the
technology will also work in other vegetables.
50. OTHER ACTIVITIES
Field day was conducted at Brgy. Behia, Tiaong, Quezon on July 25, 2017
which was participated by the organic growing farmers from San Antonio and
Tiaong, Quezon
Field day was conducted at MJD Urban Escapade Farm, Brgy. Bocohan,
Lucena City, Quezon on December 13, 2017 which was participated by 25
organic vegetable growers from Lucena City, Quezon.
51. PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Figure. Field lay-out of
Experiment II on the evaluation
of the integration of different
control methods against EFSB
(Experiment II: Brgy. Bautista,
San Pablo City, Laguna; June
to October 2016).
52. Figure Field lay-out of T9 – Trichogramma + rice straw
mulch (Brgy. Bautista, San Pablo City, Laguna;
September, 2015 to January 2016).
53. PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Trial III
Trial IV
Figure. Experiment on the evaluation of
different organic pest management
combinations against eggplant insect pests
in Brgy. Behia, Tiaong Quezon (Trial III:
February to July 2017; Trial IV: February
to July 2017).
54. PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Figure. Experiment on the
evaluation of different organic
pest management combinations
against eggplant insect pests in
Brgy. Santisima, Sta Cruz,
Laguna; (Trial V: February to
July 2017).Trial V
55. PHOTODOCUMENTATION
Figure Experiment on the
evaluation of different
organic pest management
combinations against
eggplant insect pests in Brgy.
Bocohan, Lucena City; (Trial
VI: September to December
2017).