INSECTS PESTS OF MESTA 2011

1. INSECT
PESTS OF
MESTA

2. Spiral borer
(Agrilus acutus Thunb.)
 The larva while
feeding damage the
inner fibre layer and
interrupt the sap
transmission.
 The stem becomes
weak and breaks
down.
 Extent of damage:
15 – 20 %
 Avoid early sowing.

3. Mesta flea beetle
(Nisotra orbiculata Mots.)
The adult are
most injurious to
all stages of the
crop.
They feed on
leaves and damage
the crop.

4.  Both adults and
nymphs attack the
apical region of the
plant and suck the
plant sap.
 The resulting
bunchy top portion
can be seen from
long distance.
 Extent of damage :
5 – 15 %
Mealy bug
(Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green)

5. Jassids
(Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida)
Nymphs and adult are injurious to crops.
Adults exhibits seasonal variation in colour:
 reddish in winter,
 greenish yellow in summer.

6. MESTA SEMILOOPER
Cosmophilus hirsutus G.
• Hairy caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua)
• Grey weevil
• White fly (Bemesia tabaci) transmits yellow
mosaic virus and leaf curl virus.
Foliar spraying of
 imidachlorprid 20 SL @ 0.5 ml / litre
 thiomethoxam 25 WG @ 1 g /litre
(Bhattacharjee et al., 2007).

7. Management of mesta insect pests
Clean cultivation, removal of stubbles and
weeds, etc.
Foliar spray of neem oil @ 5 ml per litre.
Spraying of biocontrol agent, Beuveria
bassiana (Pandit and Pathak, 2000).
For more infestation:
Spraying of chloropyriphos @ 2.5 ml per
litre at 15 – 25 days interval.