Integrated Pest Management

Defoliators

Gram pod borer/ Capsule borer (Helicoverpa (Heliothis) armigera)

Identification & Monitoring

• The eggs are greenish yellow spherical and laid singly on leaves or capsules.
• The caterpillar is greenish with broken dark grey lines on the lateral sides.
• Pupation occurs in soil.
• The pest is active from November to March.
• Use sex pheromone trapping for monitoring adult male moth population.

Damage

• In early stage of crop growth larvae feed on leaves and shoot apices.
• Later, the larvae shift to the developing capitula.
• The symptoms are perforated leaves, perforated involucral bracts, partially or completely eaten capitula in the bud stage and bored developing capitula.

Cultural Control

• The crop should be sown timely.
• Intercropping with non host crop like wheat or barley.
• Avoid chickpea as intercrop.
• Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.

Biological Control

• Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus or NPV can be applied at 250-300 larval equivalents/ha.
• Release Campoletis chloride, Enicospilus sp, etc.
• Four ichneumonids and three tachinids are the major parasites.

Chemical Control

• Chemical insecticides should only be applied if the insect population crosses the economic threshold level (ETL).
• The ETL of capsule borer is 50 larvae per 100 plant.
• Spray endosulfan 35 EC 750 ml/ha.
  OR
• Monochrotophos 750 ml/ha in 600-800 litres of water per hectare.

Safflower caterpillar (Perigaea capensis)

Identification & Monitoring

• The insect occurs throughout India.
• The adult is a dark brown in colour, medium sized moth with pale wavy marks on forewings.
• Caterpillar is stout, green and smooth.
• The anal segment is humped and the body has some purple markings.
• It is a regular pest of safflower

Damage

• The larva feeds on the leaves and sometimes on capitulum too.
• It also feeds on bracts, flowers, capsules.

Cultural Control

• Intercropping with non-host crop like wheat should be done.
• Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.

Mechanical Control

• The caterpillars should be hand collected and then killed.

Biological Control

• Release Braconids (Apanteles ruficrus, Hetergamus, rogas sp.) and eulophid (Euplectrus euplexiae), green muscardine fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) and NPV.

Chemical Control

• Chemical insecticides should only be applied if the insect population crosses the economic threshold level (ETL).
• Spraying of 2.5 - 3.00 kg carbaryl 50 WP.
  OR
• Application of 250 ml/ha fenvalerate 20 EC.
• The above insecticides should be sprayed by taking about 650 - 700 litre/ha water.
• The spray should always be done with help hollow cone nozzle.

Capsule fly/Safflower bud fly (Acanthiophilus helianthi rossi)

Identification & Monitoring

• The adult flies are ash coloured with light brown legs.
• Eggs are laid in clusters of 6 to 24 which hatch in a day.
• Pupation takes place in flower buds.
• The flies are active during March and infestation of flower buds takes place after a week.

Damage

• Newly hatched larvae feed on the soft parts of the capsules and later instars feed on the soft part within.
• The infested buds rot and give an offensive smelling fluid.

Cultural Control

• Timely sowing of the crop.
• Clean cultivation.
• Use resistant varieties.

Mechanical Control

• Early removal and destruction of infected flower buds.
• Use light trap

Biological Control

• Conserve bio control agents like chrysopa vigestes,Orymurus sp., Eurytoma sp.,Stenomalus muscarum, Syntomopus sp. and Bracon sp.

Chemical Control

• Application of 600-650 ml/ha dimethoate 30 EC.
  OR
• Application of 1.00 litre/ha malathion 50 EC.
  OR
• Application of 150-200 ml/ha phosphomidon 100 EC.
• About 600 to 650 litre of water is needed for spraying in about one hectare area.
• Insecticides should always be sprayed with help of hollow cone nozzle.

Sucking pest

Safflower aphid (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.
• It is a serious pest of safflower.

Damage

• During pre-flowering stage both nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from shoot apices,
  peduncles, leaves and stem, secrete a honey dew like secretion on upper surface of the leaves and plant parts forming a black sooty mold which hinders photosynthetic  activity resulting in stunted growth.
• Finally the plants dry up.
• Honey dew excreted gets deposited on the upper surface of the leaves, on which sooty molds grow and hinder the photosynthesis, resulting in stunted growth and poor yields.
• In case of heavy infestation the plants dry and die. Infestation may start even when the crop is 15 days old.
• About 40-50% yield losses are observed due to this insect.
• Infestation may occur 30-45 days old crop.

Cultural Control

• Avoid late sowing.
• If the attack is observed in the border rows take control measures.
• Avoid excess use of nitrogen.
• Use resistant varieties.
• Maintain 2 or 3 rows of Maize and Sorghum around the fields.

Biological Control

• Release Coccinellids, chrysopids, praying mantis, Syrphids , spiders etc.
• Release of Chrysoperia eggs/grubs @ 1-2/plant.
• Release endoparasite, Pseudendaphis sp., in the first week of March
• Conserve Aphidencyrtus aphidivorus, Micromus cinearis, Ischiodon scutellaris, Harmonia octomaculat and Aphelinus sp.

Chemical Control

• Chemical insecticides should only be applied if the insect population crosses the economic threshold level (ETL).
• Spray 750 ml Rogar per hectare or 250 ml Dimecron in 600-800 litre of water.
  OR
• Spray Dimethoate 30 EC at 750 ml/ha,40 and 60 days after sowing.
  or Endosulfan 0.05% or Monochroto phos 0.05%.
• Use 500 litres of spray mixture and 20 kg dust formulation/ ha.