This document summarizes the major insect pests that affect oilseed crops grown in Karnataka, India, focusing on groundnut. It identifies 10-15 economically important insect pest species for groundnut, including the groundnut leaf miner, hairy caterpillars, tobacco caterpillar, gram pod borer, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, pod bugs, termites, white grubs, ants, pod borers, and stem borers. It provides details on the identification, life cycles, damage symptoms, and control measures for each of these pest species. Annual losses to groundnut insect pests in India are estimated at Rs. 1500 million.

1. Insect Pests of Oil seeds
Dr. M. Thippaiah
Professor
Dept. of Entomology
College of Agriculture
GKVK, UAS Bangalore- 65

2. Major oil seed crops grown in Karnataka are
Ground nut
Castor
Sun flower
Safflower
Sesamum
Mustard

3. Identification of Insect pests of
Ground nut and their damage symptoms

4.  Ground nut is an important oil seed crop in
South India and every year grown in an area of
12.8 lakh ha
 It was grown both in irrigated and rainfed condition
 The damages caused by insect pests of ground both in
the field as well as in storage are enormous
 An annual loss due to insect pests problems is estimated
to be around Rs 1500 million
 In India, about 115 insect pests species cause damage, of
which only 10 – 15 species are found to be economically
important

5. The important insects pests recorded
on ground nut are
1. Leaf miner : Aproaerema modicella
2. Hairy caterpillars
a) Red headed hairy caterpillar : Amsacta alibistriga
A. Moorei
b) Black headed hairy caterpillar : Spilarctia obliqua
3. Tobacco caterpillar : Spodoptera litura
4. Gram pod borer : Helicoverpa armigera
I . Leaf feeders or Defoliators
II: Sap feeders
Aphids : Aphis craccivora
Leaf hopper : Empoaca kerri
Pod bug : Elasmolomus sordidus
Thrips : Scirtothrips dorsalis

6. II . Subterranean pests
Termites : Odontotermies obesus
White grub : Holotrichia serrata
Ants : Dorylus orientalis

7. III . Subterranean pests
IV. Borer pests
Pod borer : Anisolabis annulipes
Stem borer : Sphenoptera perotetti
Bud borer : Anarsia ephippias
Termites : Odontotermies obesus
White grub : Holotrichia serrata
Ants : Dorylus orientalis

8. Defoliators

9. Ground nut leaf miner: Aproaerema modicella
( Gelechidae : Lepidoptera )
 Adult is a tiny moth, measures about 1 cm in wing expanse
greyish brown in colour
 Wings fringed and dark greyish brown in colour
 Yellowish white spot on the costal margin of each wing
 Hind wings are small and covered with fringe of minute hairs

10.  Early instars larvae acts as leaf miner,
 First mines the leaf feeding on mesophyll tissue
 As the feeding advances, the mines increases in size and the entire
leaf lets become brown, rolls, shrivels and finally produces blotches.
Life cycle of the pest
Eggs : are small laid singly on the tender shoots and leaf lets
Each female moth lays – 150-200 eggs,
I.P-2-3 days
Larva : Caterpillar very small, delicate and measures about 0.5cm, smooth
bodied and green in colour with dark coloured head and prothorax
L.P- 9 - 17 days
Pupa : The full grown larva pupate within the leaf fold or within webbed leaflets
P.P – 5-8 days

11. Symptoms of damage
 Young larvae initially mine into the leaflets, feed on the mesophyll and
form small brown blotches on the leaf.
 Later stages larvae web the leaflets together and feed on them, remaining
within the folds.
 Severely attacked field looks "burnt" from a distance.

12. Later stages of the larvae 2-3 leaves web together and feeds on green
matter as a result, the leaves become brown and dry up

13. In severe infestation
The leaves completely dry up and burnt up appearance
The vigour of the plant is lost
The pod filling is not good
The rainfed crop suffers the maximum damage in
July – August where as the irrigated crop suffers the
maximum damage in Feb – March and bunchy type of
varieties are more susceptible
Loss – 49 % avoidable loss
92 % loss in severe case
Endemic areas of this pest
Dry tracts of Chintamani, Pandavapura area, Ramdurga,
Bijapur, Badami, Chitradurga

14. I. Hairy Caterpillars
a. Red headed hairy caterpillar: 1. Amsacta albistriga
( Arctiidae : Lepidoptera)
• Adults are medium sized moths
• Fore wings are white with brown streaks all over the wing
• Yellowish streak along the anterior margin of the fore wing
• Hind wings are white with with black markings
• A prominent yellow band is found on the head
• Predominant in South India

15. Amsacta moorei
Fore wings and hind wings are white in colour with dark markings
The red streak along the anterior margin of the fore wing
A prominent red band is found on the head
Predominant in North India

16. Life cycle of the pest
Egg: Eggs are cream coloured or bright yellow in colour and laid in
groups or in clusters on the available host plants or occasionally
on the vegetation, clods of the earth, stones, dry twigs etc.,
Each female lays – 600 – 700 eggs
Maximum – 2300 eggs/ female
I.P – 3-4 days
Larva : passes 7 instars
Hairy caterpillar reddish brown with black band on either end and
having reddish brown hair all over the body,
L.P – 25-40 days
Pupa : the grown up larvae burrow the moist soil and pupate in the
earthen soil
P.P- 9-10 days

17. Nature and symptoms of damage
 The larvae hatch from the eggs feed gregariously
by scarping the green matter or skeletonization
on the under surface of the young leaflets leaving
the upper epidermal layer intact
 Later feed voraciously on the leaves leaving the
petiole and midribs and main stem of the plants
 They march from field to field in a gregarious
manner
The affected field appear as if grazed by cattle
Alternate hosts : Sorghum, Cotton,
Ragi, Castor,
Cowpea, Sunflower,
Sesamum etc.,

18. b.Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilarctia obliqua
( Arctiidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult is a medium sized moth pale buff in colour
with black spots
Body is crimson and black spotted

19. Eggs : are laid in groups of 40-60 on the under surface of the leaves
Each female lays 500 – 1300eggs
I.P – 3-4 days
Larva: the fully grown caterpillar is hairy and orange in colour with
two ends are black in colour
L.p – 14-20 Days
Pupa : pupation takes place in soil or dried leaves
P.P- 16-22 days
The cocoon and pupa,

20.  Early instars feed gregariously by scraping the green matter
as a result skeletonization
 The grown up instars feed on entire leaves causes defoliation
Nature and symptom of damage

21. Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura
( Noctuidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult is a medium sized moth
FW – are brown in colour with zigzag white markings
HW – are white in colour with brown patch along the margin
Eggs are laid in masses and covered by body hair and
laid on ventral surface of the leaf.
After December particularly after heavy rains, heavy infestation develops
Larvae is polyphagous and appear on ground nut crop both in vegetative phase
at the time of pod formation

22. Nature of damage
Larva fed on the leaf
 Early instars are gregarious and feed on chlorophyll tissues
and cause skeletonization
 Later instars they disperse and feed on leaf voraciously and
damaged fields looks like grazed by cattle.
 The larvae of 2nd
and 3rd
instar enter the ground pods by making
a hole near calyx and feed on ground nut seed

23. Gram pod borer: Heliocoverpa armigera
( Noctuidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult moth
Caterpillar
Caterpillar feed on the leaves
 Mostly seen from November on wards when ground nut plant enters
in to reproductive phase
 Caterpillar feed on the leaves irregularly and thus causes defoliation
 Later feeds on flowers and flower buds
Caterpillar feed on the flower buds

24. Sap feeders

25. Ground nut Aphid : Aphis craccivora
( Aphididae : Hemiptera )
 Aphids are reddish to dark brown in colour and large number on
tender shoots, leaves and flowers
 Biology is greatly influenced by weather
 Parthenogenesis and ovoViviparous reproduction are common
 Apterous and winged forms are also common

26. Nature and symptoms of damage
 Both nymphs adults suck the sap from leaf lets and tender shoots.
 It results in wilting of tender leaves/ shoots, particularly during hot weather.
 Leaves are mottled with chlorotic or dark green spots and plants get stunted.
 Honey dew deposition can be observed, which attracts ants.
 It is the vector of Ground nut rosette disease or Mosaic virus

27. Leaf hopper: Empoasca kerri
( Cicadellidae : Hemiptera )
This is a elongate hopper with wedge shaped body,
yellowish green in colour found on the undersurface
of the leaf.

28. Nature of damage
 Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from undersurface of leaf
and causes yellowing of leaf margin / leaf lets which finally leads
to ‘hopper burn’ symptom
 Heavy infestation can cause stunting and yellowing near leaf tips.

29. Thrips : Scirtothrips dorsalis
( Thripidae : Thysanoptera )
Adults are black in colour and nymphs are yellowish in colour
Nature of damage
 Both nymphs and adults lacerate the leaves and suck the sap.
 Affected parts show yellowish green patches on under surface
of the leaves and brown necrotic areas with silvery streak on
the lower surface
Transmits : Peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV)

30. Symptoms
Older/ lower leaves show white marks/ white
spots which are intermingled with black
excreta on the upper surface

31. Pod sucking bug : Elasmolomus sordidus
( Lygaeidae : Hemiptera )
This is a active brown coloured bug, measures 8 mm long,
which attack the pods in the store but also attack the pods
in the fieldi.e Field and storage pest.

32. Nature of damage
 Both adults and nymphs suck the oil from the kernels making them
unfit for use
 This pest common in South India and occasionally occurring as a
serious pest
 The bug hides within rubbish heaps of semidry leaves
 It is a “post harvest pest of ground nut.”

33. Subterranean pests

34. Termites : Odontotermes obesus
( Termitidae : Isoptera )
Reproductive forms
Worker caste

35. They attack tap root system and make it hollow as a result
Wilting and
Premature death of plant
They also attack the pods and scarifies i.e. it feeds on outer surface
of the pods as a results predisposes by the fungi and development
of aflotoxin.

36. Feeds on outer surface of the pods

37. White grub: Holotrichia serrata
( Scarabeidae : Coleoptera )
Eggs and larva
Matured larva
 Early instars, translucent white in colour, first instars feed on
organic matter,
 Fully fed larvae 5 cm in length grey in colour with dark brown hairs.
 Second and subsequent instars feed on root lets

38.  Grubs feed on nodules and fine rootlets
as a result of which the plants become
pale in colour and wilted in appearance
and ultimately dry up
Wilted plants do not have tap root and
rootlets

39. Red ant : Dorylus orientalis
( Formicidae : Hymenoptera )
It bores in to the pods and feeds on the kernels and damage is
similar to damage caused by ear wigs
Control measures
Application of soil insecticides

40. Borer pests

41. Pod borer ( Ear wig ) : Anisolabis annulipes ( Euborellia stali)
( Forficulidae : Dermaptera)
It is a pest of ground nut in South India
Distribution : it is distributed in TN and Karnataka
In Karnataka, especially coastal districts like South canara and
North Canara this pest is common
Adult is a dark brown to black coloured insect with forceps like caudal
cerci and leg joints are white in colour
Eggs : are laid in clusters of 20 – 100 in soil or in the pods
I.P – 1 week
Nymphs : there are five nymphal instars resembles the adults
can live for as many as 250 days
The life cycle occupies 60-70 days

42.  Earwigs, Euborellia stali bore into the tender pods and feed on kernels.
 The holes are plugged with excreta, sand particles and discoloured pulp.
 It is difficult to separate out damage caused by earwig from that caused
by wire-worms and termites and more often the damage by these
insects is attributed to earwig-pest.
 The semi-spreading and spreading varieties are found more susceptible
than the bunch varieties
Damaged seeds
Control measures
Application of malathion 5 % @ 25 kg / ha prior to sowing in areas
where the ear wig is endemic
 Repeat the soil application of above dust formulation on 40 days of
sowing and incorporate in the soil during earthing up

43. Stem borer: Sphenoptera perotetti
( Buprestidae : Coleoptera )
This is an important pest of ground nut in south India
Adult : is an dark brown jewel beetle about 1 cm long, flat and
oval in shape
Eggs : are laid on the main stem closed to ground level in 15 – 20 days
I.P – 4-5 days
Grubs : The fully grown grubs measures 2.5 – 3 cm in length pale colour with white
coloured head
L.P – 30 - 35 days
Pupa : Pupation takes place with in larval tunnel in stem itself
P.P – 10-12 days

44. Grub bores in to the stem
Infested plant
 On hatching grub bores in to the branches and stem and gets in
the main root and make tunneling by feeding
 As a result death of the plants and such plants are pulled they
come up easily
Symptoms
Branches may droop and plants show wilting and drying
Control measures
Application of malathion 5 % @ 25 kg / ha prior to sowing
 Repeat the soil application of above dust formulation on 40 days of
sowing and gypsum application

45. Groundnut Bud borer : Anarsia ephippias
( Gelechiidae : lepidoptera)
This pest occurs in northern India, and is normally considered to be a minor pest.
The adult moth is buff coloured, active and hovers around plant canopy during sunrise
Fully grown larvae are chocolate brown in color.
Nature of damage
 Larvae bore into terminal buds and shoots and prevents further growth of plants.
 The tender leaf lets emerging from central spindle shows shot hole symptoms initially
 In severe infestation emerging from leaf lets have only mid ribs or several oblong
feeding holes
 It can also tunnel into the stems.
 As the crop damage is not significant, no management practice is needed.
Control measures
1. To conserve the hymenopteran parasitoides like Bracon sp. and Brachymeria sp.
2. Spray the crop with neem oil 3 %
3. Spray the crop with indoxacarb @ 500 ml or spinosad 45 SC @ 160 – 220 ml / ha

46. Identification of Insects pests of
Castor and their damage symptoms

47. In India more than 107 species of insects and 6 species of mites are
recorded on Castor at different phenological stages of the crop.
Out of these major insect pests are
I. Borer pest of Castor
Castor shoot and capsule borer – Conogethes punctiferalis
II. Leaf feeders / Defoliators
1.Castor semilooper : Achaea janata
2.Tobacco caterpillar : Spodoptera litura
3.Red headed hairy caterpillar : Amsacta albistriga
4.Castor slug caterpillar : Latoia lepida
5.Castor wooly bear : pericallia ricini
6.Castor butter fly : Ergolis merione
7.American serpentine leaf miner : Liriomyza trifolii
III. Sucking pests
1.Leaf hopper : Empoasca flavescens
2.Thrips : Scirtothrips dorsalis
3.White fly : Trialeurodes ricini
IV. Non insect pest
Red spider mite : Tetranychus telaerius

48. I. Borer pest of Castor

49. Castor shoot and
capsule borer : Conogethes punctiferalis
( Pyralidae : Lepidoptera )
It is a regular pest of castor
It attacks variety of host plants and causes different types of
damages when it attacks
Castor and cardamom – shoot and capsule borer
Sorghum – Ear head borer
Mango – Inflorescence caterpillar
Ginger – Rhizome borer
Guava, Peach, Jack, Tomato- Fruit borer
Similar to fruit sucking moth it has suctorial proboscis- piercing juice

50. Adult is a small sized bright yellow / orange coloured moth with
numerous black spots on both the pair of wings

51. Eggs : are laid in groups of up to 6 on inflorescence and capsules
as well as other tender parts of the plant
I.P – 3-6 days
Larva : there are 5 larval instars and measures about 2.5 to 3cm in
length, pinkish brown in colour with numerous tubercles on
the body
L.P – 12-16 days
Pupa : pupation takes place in side the stem in silken cocoon or inside
the capsules
P.P – 6-7 days
Adult longevity – 5-10 days
The pest appears from flowering stage up to maturity stage

52.  Newly hatched larva feeds on greenish coloured capsules in
between warts
 Later bores in to the capsules and feeds on developing seeds
 It webs the capsules along with excreta and frass
 Larva also bores into tender shoots and attached inflorescence
 There by killing the terminal shoots.
Nature and symptoms of damage

53. Symptoms of damage
 Capsule with bored holes
 Damaged capsules webbed together
 Peduncle and capsules showing galleries made of silk and frass
 Incidence starts from early September and reaches peak during November
 Incidence decline during January
 GSH- 3 almost 84 % seed damage by this borer in Gujarat
 In Gujarat – 40-50 % of area are covered by Castor crop

54. Management practices
 Avoid growing varieties which are having compact inflorescence
 Mechanical collection and destruction of attacked shoots and seed
capsule
Chemical control – Initiate chemical sprays at the time of flowering
primary spikes
Spray methyl parathion 50 EC @ 1 ml / lit. of water
or
Dust with methyl parathion 2 % D @ 10 kg / acre
or
Spray – quinalphos @ 2 ml / lit. of water
or
dimethoate @ 2 ml / lit. of water

55. II. Leaf feeders / Defoliators

56. Castor semilooper : Achaea janata
( Noctuidae : Lepidoptra )
 Adult is a stout bodied, greyish-brown colored moth with
wavy lines on the fore wings
 Hind wings are white with black patches or markings
Host plants : Castor, Rose, Pomegranate, Tea, Tridax procumbens,
Euphorbia hirta, E. hypercifolia
It is a specific pest of Castor

57. Eggs : Female moths lays 400-500 eggs scattered all over the
ventral surface of the plant
I.P – 3-4 days
Larva : is a semilooper , body grey / black in colour with red or
white lateral stripes, fully-grown larva about 6-7cm long
Larva will be camouflage with colour of the crop canopy. Colour
pattern of 3rd
and 4th
instar larva is variable. Some time if larva with
red stripes. It is semilooper i.e non functioning of first pair of prolegs
L.P – 20-25 days
Pupa : pupation takes place on the plant or in leaf litter or in soil
with the help of cocoon
P.P – 10-25 days

58. Nature of damage
First instars nibble on the leaves and second instars make
bite holes on the leaves
later instars will eat the leaf completely leaving behind
mid rib.
Usually it won’t be attack stem.
Severe incidence – Capsule also affected
Adult moth – Suck the juice from Citrus fruits also
Serious – July - December
Damage will decline from
November on wards

59. Control measures
 Hand picking of older larvae during early stages and destroy
 Provide bird perching points @ 7 to 10 / ha
Biological control
A number of Hymenopteran parasites attack the pest during the
various stages of its life cycle
Trichogramma australicum – Egg parasite
Apanteles spp.
Microplitis maculopennis Larval parasites - @ 2 parasites / plant need
not to take up chemical control
Chemical control : spray methyl parathion 50 EC @ 1 ml / lit. of water
or
Dust 2 % methyl parathion @ 10-15 kg / acre
or
Spray the crop with quinalphos @ 2 ml / lit. of water
or
chlorpyriphos @ 2 ml / lit. of water
or
monocrotophos @ 1.5 ml / 2 ml / lit. of water

60. Tobacco caterpillar : Spodoptera litura
( Noctuidae : Lepidoptera )
 It is found throughout the tropical and subtropical parts of the world, wide spread
in India.
 Besides tobacco, it feeds on cotton, castor, groundnut, tomato, cabbage and various
other cruciferous crops.
Damage symptoms:
 The early instar larvae feed gregariously on the under surface of the leaf by
scrapping green chlorophyll tissues and cause skeletonization
 Later they disperse, become solitary and nocturnal and cause complete defoliation
 They also feed on the flower buds, flowers.
( Control measures refer under tobacco)

61. Red headed hairy caterpillar : Amsacta albistriga
( Arctiidae : Lepidoptera )
Damage symptoms:
 Scrap the under surface of leaves when they are in neonate stage.
 The scrapped patches of the leaves becomes thin and papery
 Full grown larvae devours entire foliage and flowers causing defoliation
and affecting fruit setting and often migrate from one field to another
devastating whatever crops come their way.
 After about 30-40 days of feeding the larvae burrow into soil, usually in the
undisturbed soil of field or non-cropped areas and pupate.
( Control measures refer under tobacco

62. Castor slug caterpillar : Latoia lepida
( Limacodidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult is a medium sized moth with brown coloured wings and a
prominent green band at the base of the fore wings
Host plants : Castor, Cocoa, pomegranate, Mango, Wood apple etc.,

63. Eggs : are laid in groups and covered with hairs and each group
contains 20-30 eggs on the under surface of the leaves
I.P -6-7 days
Larva : Larva greenish in colour with white lines and four rows of
tubercles tipped with red and black colour, ventral surface
flat and it moves like a slug
L.P- 40-45 days
Pupa : pupation takes place on the stem or it pupates on the plants
in cocoons which are covered with spines and hairs
which cause irritation to human skins
P.P- 9-10 days
Nature of damage
Larvae feed on the leaves leaving only midrib and veins

64. Castor wooly bear: Pericallia ricini
( Arctiidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult is a grey coloured moth with dark spots on pinkish
hind wings
Alternate hosts : Pumpkin, banana, Gingely, Moringa, beans, cotton etc.,
Eggs : are laid in groups on leaves.
Fecundity – more than 140eggs / female I.P – 3-5 days
Larva : the larva blackish brown in colour with red head and long thick hairs
arising on the bluish warts found on the body L. P – 4 weeks
Pupa : Pupation takes place in Cocoons of silken hairs in soil P.P – 7-10 days

65. The larva blackish brown in colour with red head and long thick
hairs arising on the bluish warts found on the body
 Caterpillars feed on the leaves and defoliate the plant
 They are usually found in colonies, it is naturally parasitized
by Apanteles ricini

66. Castor butter fly: Ergolis merione
( Nymphalidae : Lepidoptera)
Adult is a brownish coloured butter fly with black wavy lines
on the wings
It is a specific butter fly pest of castor

67. Eggs : are spherical, laid singly on the leaves
Fecundity- 80 eggs
I.P – 4 – 5 days
Larva : Larvae are green in colour with branched spines and
yellow stripes on the dorsal side
L.P- 17-20 days

68. Nature of damage
Larva feeds on the leaves and remain on the upper surface and
thus cause defoliation
Pupa: Chrysalis
which hanging
from leaves
P.P – 7-10 days

69. Serpentine leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii
(Agromyziidae : Diptera)
Leaf mining damage Leaf miner - Adult
Adult – are small , pale yellow coloured dipteran fly while larva is
a tiny yellowish maggot
Female makes small tubular punctures for oviposition and each female can
lay about 380 eggs I.P – 2 – 3 days
L.P – 3 - 4 days
Pupation occurs out side the leaf mine and some time it occur in the soil or
centre of leaf
P.P - 5 – 8 days

70. Nature of damage
It occurs on foliage in two ways
 Female cause ovipositional punctures on the leaf surface with the help of ovipositor
before laying eggs
 Larva will mine the leaf feed on mesophyll tissues and laying as many as 900 and
mines / leaf of castor have been recorded due to this pest in severe cases
In case of severe damage chlorophyll content in foliage may reach as high as 30 %
reduction ( Indirect damage)
Control measures
Spray NSKE 4 %
or
Spray the crop with triazophos @ 2.5 ml / lit. water

71. Sucking pests of castor

72. Leaf hopper : Empoasca flavescens
(Cicadellidae ; Hemiptera)
 Adults are small, wedge shaped hoppers and pale green in colour
 Nymphs are yellowish green in colour
 Adults as well as nymphs will move diagonally

73. Nature of damage
 Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the leaf resulting in
typical ‘hopper burn’
 Initially marginal yellowing of leaves and
 Later on distortion of veins and leaf curling is observed
 The yellow colour of the leaf will change to brown and the margins
of leaf become dry and brittle
 Due to hopper burn and stunting caused by heavy population as
a result in poor development of capsules

74. Thrips : Scirtothrips dorsalis
(Thripidae : Thysanoptera)
It is common on Castor, Ground nut
It is highly polyphagous pest
Adults are minute and yellow and have fringed wings

75. Nature of damage
 Nymphs and adults scrape the leaves, they suck the oozing sap
from the leaves, as a result there will be development of white
patches
 Which later on turn into brown streaks particularly near the veins
and midribs as a results in curling of affected areas particularly
flowers and later dry up and do not form capsules

76. White flies : Trialeurodes ricini
(Aleyrodidae : Hemiptera )
Adults are small and delicate having yellow body, hyaline wings dusted
with waxy powder
Nature of damage
 Nymphs and adults suck the sap from the leaves affected leaves
will curl and dry up and vitality of the plant is reduced
 Vegetative growth is arrested resulting in shedding of leaves
 It also excretes honey dew which falls on lower leaves as a result
sooty mould develops and which inhibits photosynthesis as a
result plant remain sick and stunted

77. Non insect pest
Control measures for Leaf hoppers, thrips and white flies
Spray the crop with methyl parathion @ 0.05 %
or
methyl demeton @ 0.025 %
or
Phosalone @ 0.05 %
or
Malathion @ 0.1 % ( 1 ml / lit.)

78. Red spider mite : Tetranychus telaerius
( Tetranychidae : Acarina )
 Fully developed nymphs are microscopic and measuring 0.33mm
in length, light brown in colour and 4 pair of legs
 Adult mites are 0.52mm in length and 0.33mm in width
There are 6 species of mites are recorded on Castor, out of which important one is
Tetranychus telaerius

79. Nature of damage
 All the active stages of mites fed on leaf preferably on
ventral surface and breed near stalk in between main veins
 It inserts chelcerial stylets in to the leaf tissue and suck the plant juice
 Removal of chemicals and other pigmentation results in characteristic
blotching is the typical symptom
 Infested leaves actually exibit yellow speckled appearance which
later on turn brown
Control measures
 Growing resistant variteies – RC – 1067, RC- 1069, RC- 1071, RC – 1072
 Spray the crop with dicofol @ 2.5 ml / li. Of water

80. Thank you