1. PEST OF SOLANACEOUS
VEGETABLE CROPS, OKRA, AND
THEIR MANAGEMENT
Dr. H. P. Misra, Professor
Department of Entomology
School of Agriculture
Gunupur
2. Tomato
1. Fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Noctuidae:Lepidoptera)
• This pest is widely distributed and is polyphagous. It is responsible for
major yield loss in tomato.
• Eggs are yellowish-white, ribbed and dome shaped. Full grown
caterpillars are apple green with whitish and dark grey broken
longitudinal stripes.
• On hatching, young larvae scrap and feed on tender foliage while
advanced stage larvae bore circular holes and thrust part of their body
inside the fruit and eat the contents. The larvae move from one fruit to
another, and single caterpillar may eat and destroy 2 to 8 fruits.
4. Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura Fabricius
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
Marks of identification: Moths are stout, pale to dark brown, fore
wings greyish browns with wavy white markings, hind wings are
opalescent, semi hyaline, white with dark brown marginal line. The
moths are about 22 mm long and 40 mm across the spread of wings.
The caterpillars are velvety with pale green and dark markings
initially which later turn dark brown with numerous transverse and
longitudinal bands.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Freshly hatched larvae feed
gregariously, scraping the leaves from ventral side. Later disperse,
feeding voraciously at night on the foliage. Caterpillars feed on the
leaves of tomato and bores into the fruit. Young larvae feed on
tender foliage. While advanced stages attack the fruits.
6. American Serpentine Leaf Miner, Liriomyza trifolii
(Burgess) (Agromyzidae:Diptera) infestation in
Tomato
7. Leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii Burgess
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)
Marks of identification: The adults are a tiny fly with a
characteristic yellow spot on the back (the scutellum), transparent
wings. Maggots are legless, pale yellow, body tapers anteriorly.
The pupa is yellow-brown in color and distinctly segmented. The
freshly laid eggs are creamy white and shaped like an elongated
oval. The eggs are small, 1/100 inch in length.
Nature and symptoms of damage: The adults cause damage by
puncturing the leaf surface to feed on the leaf tissue and also to
lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, the maggot mines into the leaf
and feeds on the mesophyll of the leaves making white serpentine
mines. As the larva grows, the diameter of the mine increases.
Leaf mines and punctures reduce the photosynthetic ability of the
plant.
8. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) transmitted by
thrips, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera:Thripidae)
• Roughing out infected plants &
destruction
• Controlling thrips by systemic insecticide
application
• Application of carbofuran 3G @ 100g/m2
nursery and in the main field(15Kg/ha) 10
days after transplanting
9. Tomato thrips: Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Frankliniella occidentalis,
(Pergande)
F. schultzeii Trybom (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)
Marks of identification: The adults are slender, yellowish brown
and measure about 1 mm in length. The males are wingless
whereas the females have long, narrow strap like wings, which
are furnished with long hair along the hind margins. The nymphs
resemble the adults in shape and colour, but are wingless and
slightly smaller. Eggs are kidney shaped.
Nature and symptoms of damage: The nymphs and adults feed
on the lower surface of leaf. They also attack buds, flowers and
fruits. Attacked leaves have a silvery shine and show small black
spots (thrips excrements). Under heavy infestation attacked buds,
and flowers usually fall off. Attacked fruits show speckling and
small necrotic patches on the surface affecting fruit quality. Fruits
may become deformed.
10. Leaf curl (TLCV) transmitted by Silverleaf whitefly,
Bemisia tabaci (Aleyrodidae:Hemiptera)
• Tomato leaf curl virus is
transmitted by the
whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
• Spraying of acetamiprid
20SP 100g/ha
• Spraying of dimethoate
30EC 1lit/ha
11. White flies- Trialeurodes vaporarium (Westwood), Bemisia
tabaci (Gennadius) (Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: Adults are yellowish with white waxy
coating on the body. The hind wings are prominently long. Nymphs
are pale yellow, sluggish, clustered together on the under surface of
the leaves. The nymphs secrete a waxy material at the margins of their
body that helps adhere them to the leaf surface. Eggs are stalked, sub-
elliptical and light yellow at first and turn brown later.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Both adults and nymphs suck sap
from the leaves, and may weaken the plants. Feeding of whiteflies
cause yellowing of infested leaves. Immature stages (nymphs) produce
honeydew on which sooty mould grows. Heavy honeydew or mould
coating reduces plant growth and fruit quality. However, the main
damage caused by whiteflies is indirect as vectors of virus diseases. It
is an efficient vector of the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV).
12. Mosaic (potato virus Y) transmitted by Aphid
Myzus persicae (Aphididae:Hemiptera)
• Aphid is the vector of the
virus disease
• Application of systemic
insecticides to control
aphids check spread of
the disease
• Destruction of source of
inoculum is important
14. Shoot and fruit borer: Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee
(Crambidae: Lepidoptera)
Marks of identification: The moth is white with pale brown or black
spots on the dorsum of the thorax and abdomen. The wings are white
with pinkish or bluish tinge and are ringed with small hair along the
apical and anal margins. The caterpillars are creamy white when
young but, turned pink when full grown.
• Nature and symptoms of damage: When the terminal shoots are
attacked, the growing points are killed as a result of which there is
withering of terminal shoots. The attacked flower buds shed
prematurely. The first indication is a small hole in the fruit stalk or in
the fruit itself. This is where the insect has entered. If the fruits are cut
near this entry hole you will find areas where the larva has tunneled.
The tunnels contain excreta. Bore holes on fruits.
16. Hadda / spotted beetle: Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata Fab., E.
dodecastigma, E. demurili (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera)
Marks of identification: Adult is an orange red hemispherical beetle
with 12-28 black spots on elytra. Head partly concealed by pronotum.
Grubs of all the three species are about 6 mm long, yellowish in
colour and covered with six rows of long branched spines. Eggs are
yellow and cigar-shaped.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Both the adults and grubs cause
damage by scraping chlorophyll from epidermal layers of leaves. The
affected leaves appear lace like and forming ladder-like windows.
They turn brown, dry up and fall, and completely skeletonized. In
severe cases even calyx of the fruit may also be infested.
18. Stem borer: Euzophera perticella Rag.
(Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)
Marks of identification: The caterpillars are creamy white
with few bristle hairs, measure about 20-22 mm in length when
full grown. The moths are medium sized with pale-yellow
abdomens. The head and thorax are greyish. The fore wings
are pale straw-yellow and hind wings are whitish. Eggs are
creamy coloured and scale like.
Nature and symptoms of damage: The caterpillars feed
exclusively in the main stem and have never been observed to
bore into fruits. Few plants are seen withering and drying up in
the field. Excreta can be seen coming out of the entry hole.
Sometimes top shoots of young plants droop and wither. The
older plants become stunted. Fruit bearing is affected.
20. Eggplant Lace bug: Urentius hystricellus
(Richt.) (Tingidae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: The adult bugs are small and straw
coloured on the dorsal side and black on the ventral side. The
prothorax has a hood-like projection which extends out over the body
and comes to a point over the wings. Two pairs of lace-like wings
which are black at the base, coastal area hyaline with strong spines
on the outer margin, hind wings are whitish and transparent. The bug
has a dark head, pale yellow legs and the body appears flattened. The
full-grow nymphs are pale yellowish brown and are stoutly built,
with very prominent spines.
Nature and symptoms of damage: The adult and the nymphs suck
the sap from leaves and cause yellowish spots which, together with
the black scale-like excreta deposited by them, impart a characteristic
mottled appearance to the infested leaves. Later, the whole leaf
yellows and dries out.
23. Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci Gennadius
(Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: Adults are tiny, moth-like white body
including wings which are covered with a white waxy bloom.
Eggs are pear shaped, light-yellowish with short stalks inserted
into leaves. Nymphs are oval, scale-like and greenish white.
Nature and symptoms of damage: On hatching nymphs crawl a
little, settle down on a succulent spot-on ventral surface of leaf,
and keep sucking sap. Affected parts become yellowish, leaves
wrinkle, curl downwards and are ultimately shed. Honeydew
excreted by nymphs attracts sooty molds which form black
coating on leaves.
24. Leaf hopper Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida
(Cicadellidae:Hemiptera)
Greenish yellow colour nymph &
adults suck cell sap from leaf
Leaves curl up, become yellow
& fall
Transmits yellow mosaic virus
disease
26. Jassids/Leafhoppers: Amrasca biguttula biguttula
Ishida (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: The adult is wedge-shaped, small size,
long and pale green in colour. The forewings have a black spot on
their posterior parts. The nymphs are wingless, pale green in colour
and are found in large numbers on the lower surface of the leaves.
They have a characteristic way of walking diagonally in relation to
their body.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Initial damage is noticed by
curling up, followed by the yellowing of the margins of leaves,
excessive infestation may result in pale and sickly leaves and
subsequently stunted growth of plants. Little-leaf phytoplasma
disease is transmitted by jassids giving the plant a bushy appearance
with small leaves and short internodes. Mostly there is no flowering
but if flowers are formed, they remain green. Fruiting is rare.
27. Leaf roller: Eublemma olivacea (Walker) (Noctuidae:
Lepidoptera)
Marks of Identification: Adult is medium sized brownish white
moth active at night. Fore wings with brown tinge having a large
triangular olive-green patch on outer area and hind wings white
with brownish tinge towards outer margin. Full grown caterpillars
are stout, purple brown and ornamented with yellow spots and
hair.
Nature and symptoms of damage: The caterpillars bore into the
green shoots and eat the internal matter for which the plant
withers. The larvae also roll up the leaves and feed on the green
matter while remaining inside the folds and thus lead a concealed
life. The affected folded leaves wither and dry up.
29. Red Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae (Tetranychidae:Acarina)
Red mites remain on the under side of leaves & suck cell sap
They spin silken webs
Upper side of leaf looks ashy
Due to de-sapping, plants become sickly & leaf fall occurs
30. Two-spotted spider mite: Tetranychus urticae L.
(Acarina: Tetranychidae)
Marks of identification: It is extremely small, oval, barely
visible with the naked eye and may be brown or orange-red, but a
green, greenish-yellow or an almost translucent color is the most
common. Overwintering females are orange to orange-red. The
male is smaller than the female. First immature stage (larva) has
three pair of legs and pinkish in colour. The following nymphal
stages and the adult have four pairs of legs. Eggs are globular and
whitish.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Spider mites feed by
penetrating the plant tissue with their needle-like piercing-
sucking mouthparts and are found primarily on the underside of
the leaf. Infested leaves curl down, become hard and crisp and
ultimately shed.
31. Aphid: Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Aphididae:
Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: The nymphs are pale yellowish, green
in colour with three dark lines on the back of the abdomen. Adult
aphids are 1.8 to 2.1 mm long; the head and thorax are black, and
the abdomen yellow-green with a dark patch on the back.
Wingless adults resemble nymphs and are 1.7 to 2.0 mm long.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Both the nymphs and adults
constantly suck sap of the plants. The affected leaves look sickly
in appearance. Blemishes to the plant tissue, usually in the form
of yellow spots, may result from aphid feeding. Apart from direct
damage they also excrete 'honey dew' on which black mould
called the "sooty mould" develops.
33. Mealy bug: Coccidohystrix insolita (Pseudococcidae:
Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: The bugs are small, oval, soft-
bodied insects measuring 3-4 mm long, covered with white
mealy wax. Body covered with white waxy filamentous
material.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Heavy cluster of
mealy bugs (nymphs and adults) can be seen under surface
of leaves as a thick mat with waxy secretion. They also
excrete copious amount of honey dew on which the fungus
sooty mould grow. Affected plants appear sick and black,
resulting reduced fruiting capacitycompletely.
36. Important insect pests of chilli (Chilli Leaf Curl
Disease) Transmitted by thrips, Scirtothrips
dorsalis Hood (Thripidae:Thysanoptera) and
yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus
(Tarsonemidae:Acari)
Thrips – upward curling Mites – downward curling
37. Chilli thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood
(Thripidae: Thysanoptera)
Marks of identification: The adults are slender, yellowish brown
in colour having pointed wings. The females possess long,
narrow wings with the fore margin fringed with long hairs.
Nymphs resemble the adults in shape and colour but are wingless
and smaller in size.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Nymphs and adults lacerate
the leaf tissue and imbibe (swallow) the oozing sap. Infested
leaves develop crinkles and curl upwards. In severe infestation
there is malformation of leaves, buds and fruits, infested leaves
became bronze coloured. If affected at early stage, stunted
growth, arrested flower production and pod setting. Responsible
for transmitting the virus causing leaf curl disease of chilli.
39. Chilli muranai mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus
Banks (Prostigmata:Tarsonemidae)
Marks of identification: Mites are tiny, white, transparent, not
visible to naked eye and are mostly found on the underside of the
leaves.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Mites suck the sap while
remaining on the undersurface of the leaves. As a result, leaf
margin will curl downwards giving an inverted boat shaped
appearance. Older affected leaves show elongated petiole and
large green lamina, younger leaves get clustered and curved
downwards. Crinkling of leaves. Stunted growth. In severe cases
the fruit become brownish with hard skin. Ultimately, death of
the plants.
40. Chilli aphid: Aphis gossypii Glover, Myzus persicae
Sulz. (Aphididae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: A. gossypii is brownish green in colour
while M. persicae is white/light yellow in colour.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Both adults and nymphs are
found in large numbers on the underside of tender leaves and
shoots, sucking the sap from all tissues. Infested leaves curl and
dry up. Sooty mould develops due to honey dew excretion and it
is a vector of mosaic disease/ pepper mottle virus
42. Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Homoptera,
Aleyrodidae) – Same as Tomato, Brinjal & Okra
Chlli pod borers: Spodoptera litura Fab., S. exigua Hubner,
Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera),
Utetheisa pulchella L. (Erebidae: Lepidoptera)
Nature and symptoms of damage: Feeding by S. litura, S.
exigua leads to irregular holes on the leaves and fruits. Affected
pods turn whitish and dry up. In fruits, seeds are also eaten.
Attack of H. armigera leads to round hole on fruits. In addition to
these borers, sometimes U. pulchella also feeds on the pericarp
leaving the seed intact. Ladder like marks are seen on chilli pod
due to U. pulchella feeding.
45. Shoot and fruit borer: Earias vittella (Fabricius),
E. insulana (Boisduval) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
Marks of identification: E. vitella adult moth has a yellow head and
thorax. The fore wings are pale white and have a broad, wedge shaped,
greenish band in the middle. In case of E. insulana the fore wings are
completely grassy green. The egg is small, spherical in shape, bluish
green in color, with parallel longitudinal ridges projecting upward.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Terminal shoots are bored initially
and in severe tunneling the top leaves wilt and the whole apex of the
plant droops, hampering further growth. When fruiting starts, larvae
move to flower buds, tiny fruits and mature pods. Severe attack causes
the shedding of flower buds and reduced yield. When attacking the
fruit, the larvae feed on the milky seeds and other contents of the pod,
leaving excrement-filled tunnels.
48. Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Aleyrodidae:
Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: Nymphs are pale yellow and adults are
yellowish with white waxy coating on the body. The hind wings
are prominently long. Eggs are stalked, sub-elliptical and light
yellow at first and turn brown later on.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Chlorotic spots on the
leaves which latter coalesce forming irregular yellowing of leaf
tissue. Severe infestation results in premature defoliation.
Development of sooty mould. Vector of yellow vein mosaic virus.
50. Jassids: Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida
(Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
Marks of identification: Nymph is light green, translucent,
wingless, wedge shaped. found between the veins of leaves on
the under surface. Adult is green, wedge-shaped leafhopper.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Both adult and nymphs suck
sap from the underside of the leaves. The leaves turn yellow in
patches and even turn white at the edges. The Jassid inject a toxin
as they feed for which the margin of the leaves starts curling
downwards and reddening sets in. The margin of the leaves gets
broken and crumble into pieces when crushed.
52. Spider mites: Tetranychus telarius L. (Tetranychidae:
Acarina)
Marks of identification: The adults are 8-legged tiny creatures,
brick red in colour and some are reddish yellow, spherical to oval
in shape. Eggs are laid on the lower surface of leaves.
Nature and symptoms of damage: Spider mites suck the sap of
plant tissues. Infested leaves first show a white to yellow
speckling and then turn pale or a reddish bronze colour. The
leaves curl up under severe attack and finally wither and fall off,
leading to plant defoliation. In severe infestation, spider mites
will also attack pods, causing pod contamination.
56. Cultural -Tillage
• Brinjal shoot & fruit
borer
• Cut worms
• Grass hoppers
• Tomato fruit borer
(Helicoverpa)
• Chilli fruit borer
(Spodoptera)
57. Adjustment of Sowing/Planting time
• July planted brinjal – High shoot & fruit borer
• Tomato – Early sowing in summer & late sowing
in Kharif – less fruit borer attack
59. Trap Crop
• African marigold (2 rows) in tomato (16 rows)
attracts Helicoverpa, Liriomyza(SLM) & mites to
lay eggs on marigold
• Planting of castor (50 No./acre) as a trap crop
for Spodoptera
60. Mechanical - Removal of affected shoots
• Flood irrigation to bring out hiding larvae of
Spodoptera in tomato crop
61. Mechanical Control
• Collection & destruction of bored fruits, leaves infested
by serpentine leafminer.
• Mechanical collection and destruction of Helicoverpa
larvae; Spodoptera egg masses & young larvae from
skeletonized leaves.
• Placement of 15-20 ‘T’ –shaped bird perches/ha
• Spodoptera poison bait containing 10Kg bran + 1Kg
jaggery + 0.5 kg Thiodicarb (Larvin) + little water/ha.
Make small pellets and place at the base of the plants
64. Important Parasitoids of H. armigera in India
Parasite stage & % Parasitization
Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae
Campoletis chlorideae Young larvae (10 – 80%)
Enicospilus spp. Old larvae (6 – 11%)
Eriborus spp. Young larvae (3 – 6%)
Braconidae
Bracon brevicornis Larvae (3 – 6%)
Trichogramma chilonis Egg (79%)
Trichogrammatoidea armigera Egg (11%)
Diptera : Tachinidae
Palexorista laxa Old larvae (12 – 18%)
Carcelia illota Old larvae (4 – 16%)
Goniophthalmus halli Old larvae (18 – 20%)
Source: Manjunath, 1972
65. Augmentation of Natural Enemies
Natural enemies Release rate (interval) Affect
T. chilonis (egg
parasitoid)
2,50,000/ha (weekly) Significant reduction
in fruit damage
T. brasiliensis (egg
parasitoid)
2,50,000/ha 51.3 % parasitization
of eggs
T. pretiosum (egg
parasitoid)
2,50,000/ha 6.45% less infestation
over control
T. pretiosum (egg
parasitoid)
5,00,000/ha 7.92% less infestation
over control
T. brasiliensis (egg
parasitoid)
50,000/ha
T. pretiosum (egg
parasitoid)
50,000/ha 55.90 % reduction in
larval population
66. Bio-pesticidal & Botanical
• Spraying of Ha NPV @ 250LE/ha during evening
hours mixed with 0.2% jaggery & 0.02% teepol /
sandovit
• Spraying of Bt formulation @ 1Kg/ha
• Foliar spraying of Beauveria bassiana or
Metarhizium anisopliae @ 1 kg/ha
• Spraying of 5% NSKE to kill early-stage larvae or
azadirachtin (300ppm) @4-5ml/lit or neem oil
0.5%
67. Control with Naturalytes
• Spraying spinosad (Tracer/Conserve) 45 SC @
50ml/ac for shoot & fruit borer & tomato fruit borer
• Spraying of abamectin (Vertimec 1.8 EC or Abacin
@ 500ml/ha or Milbemectin (Milbenock) 1% EC or
Spiromesifen (Oberon) @ 500ml/ha for chilli leaf
curl
• Spraying with Emamectin benzoate (Proclaim /
Denim 5% SG) @ 125 g/ha for borers
• Spraying of Milbemectin (Milbenock) 1% EC or
Spiromesifen (Oberon) @ 500ml/ha for mites in
okra & chilli
68. Use of Biorationals
• Spraying biorationals like diflubenzuron
(Dimilin, Hilmilin) @ 500 gm / Novaluron
(Rimon) @ 750ml/ Lufenuron (Match, Signa
5EC) @ 750ml /ha
• Spraying flufenoxuron (Cascade) 10 WDC @
300 ml/ha against DBM in cole crops
• Spraying of buprofezin (Applaud /Buprolord
25WP) @ 300-500ml/ha against sucking pests
69. Chemical Control
• Spraying of flubendiamide (Fame) 480 SC @ 175
ml/ha for borers or
• Spraying of Rynaxypyr (Coragen) 20SC @ 150ml/ha
for borers or
• Spraying of Chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (Coragen)
@ 150-200 ml/ha only once in the rotation or
• Spraying of indoxacarb (Avaunt/Kingdoxa 14.5SC) @
500ml/ha for lepidopterans
• Maintain proper waiting period for chemicals
70. Benefits of Current GEOs
Lower pesticide application
- reduced groundwater pollution
Lower insecticide application
- enhanced insect diversity and its consequences
Enhanced food nutritional qualities
- longer shelf life
- reduced levels of contaminating mycotoxins
