Integrated Pest Management

Defoliators

Bihar hairy caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua)

Identification & Monitoring

• This is also a major pest of niger.
• The adult is a medium sized brown moth with a red abdomen.
• Eggs are laid in clustered on the under side of leaves.
• The larvae are covered with long yellowish to black hairs.
• Pupation takes place in the soil under dry foliage and debris.

Damage

• The caterpillar remains gregarious and underneath the leaves in early stages and cause serious loss in yield at 3 rd and 4th instars stages.

Cultural Control

• Use late maturing varieties like GA -10, GA-2 and EKC-1.
• Clean cultivation.
• Crop rotation and mixed cropping.
• Early planting.

Mechanical Control

• Collect and destroy egg masses and early instars of caterpillar.
• Install light traps to trap the adult.

Biological Control

• Release Trichogramma evanescens minutum as it is egg parasite.
• Use Bt.

Chemical Control

• Dusting with endosulfan 4% or phosalone 4% or carbaryl 5% or parathion 2% @ 20-25 kg/ha for effective control of defoliators
• Spraying with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required.

Capsule fly (Dioxyna sororcula)

Identification & Monitoring

• This is the most serious pest which directly affect the yield.
• The female fly eggs in the inflorescence inside the ovaries of disc florets by inserting its ovipositor.

Damage

• The freshly hatched maggots feed on the contents of the developing seed, due to which the seed gets hollowed.

Cultural Control

• Deep summer ploughing.
• Clean cultivation.
• Crop rotation.

Mechanical Control

• Remove early instars and eggs.

Biological Control

• Conserve Green bug ( Creontiades sp) and mired bug (Taylorilygus pallidulus)

Chemical Control

• Dusting with endosulfan 4% or phosalone 4% or carbaryl 5% or parathion 2% @ 20-25 kg/ha for effective control of defoliators.
• Spraying with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required against insect pest of niger.

Cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon)

Identification & Monitoring

• The creamy white globular eggs are laid singly or in small clusters, primarily on leaves.
• The larvae are thin, cylindrical and dark brown to greasy gray in color with faint lighter stripes running laterally on each side of the body.
• Adults have a wingspan of 1-5/8 to 2 inches.
• Forewings are gray with dark brownish or black markings.

Damage

• The moth of Agrotis ipsilon hides under dried twigs and leaves at the day time and lay eggs on leaves.
• Larvae attack the crop and cut plants at ground level.

Cultural Control

• Deep summer ploughing
• Remove weeds from the field

Mechanical Control

• Install light traps for trapping the adults.

Biological Control

• Conserve predators

Chemical Control

• Dusting with endosulfan 4% or phosalone 4% or carbaryl 5% or parathion 2% @ 20-25 kg/ha for effective control of defoliators
• Spraying with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required against insect pest of niger.

Niger caterpillar (Perigea capensis)

Identification & Monitoring

• The pest is active in July - August
• The adult is a medium sized moth dark brown in colour with pale wavy marks on fore wings.
• Caterpillar is stout, green and smooth.
• Monitor the local population of the pest using light traps

Damage

• Larvae defoliate the crop and cause considerable yield loss.

Cultural Control

• Use late maturing varieties like GA -10, GA-2 and EKC-1
• Clean cultivation
• Crop rotation and mixed cropping
• Early planting

Mechanical Control

• Collect and destroy egg masses and early instars of caterpillar.
• Install light traps to trap the adult

Biological Control

• Release Apanteles ruficrus and chilonis spp.
• Conserve Creboter urbana for controlling larval pest

Chemical Control

• Dusting with endosulfan 4% or phosalone 4% or methyl or parathion 2% @ 20-25 kg/ha for effective control of defoliators
• Spraying with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required against insect pest of niger.

Semilooper (Achaea janata)

Identification & Monitoring

• The caterpillar is slatey in colour moved by making its half loop.

Damage

• These feed on the leaves.
• Cause severe damage in association with leaf feeders.

Mechanical Control

• Collect and destroy egg masses and early instars of caterpillar.

Biological Control

• Conserve Creboter urbana for controlling larval pest

Chemical Control

• Dusting with endosulfan 4% or phosalone 4% or carbaryl 5% or parathion 2% @ 20-25 kg/ha for effective control of defoliators.
• Spraying with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required against insect pest of niger.

Defoliators

Aphids (Uroleucon carthami)

Identification & Monitoring

• Aphids are soft bodied insects and 1.5 to 2 mm in length.
• Adults are large sized, black with pear-shaped body and conspicuous cornicles, winged or wingless.
• Nymphs are reddish brown.
• Both nymphs and adults when on stem are found with their head directed towards the soil

Damage

• The nymphs and adults suck sap from the tender parts of the plant including leaves, shoots, flower and capitula.
• In severe infestation, the plants get stunted and seed production is adversely affected.

Cultural Control

• Timely sowing of the crop, late sown crop suffer more
• Clean cultivation
• Mixed cropping and crop rotation

Biological Control

• Conserve predator lady bird beetle and chrysopa.

Chemical Control

• Spray methyl demeton 25 EC @ 1 ml/litre of water with monocrotophos 0.04% or Dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07% or Dichlorovos 0.05% as and when required.