Pest of plantation crops

it includes insect pest of tea,coffee,coconut,cashewnut,tobacco.
their larvae pupae, nymphs photo

1. INSECT PEST OF PLANTATION CROPS MADE BY MANISHA DUHAN (RLBCAU002)

2. Insect pest of tea

3. Tea Mosquito Bug: Helopeltis theivora ( Miridae : Homoptera ) Damaging stage – Nymphs and Adults Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves, buds and tender stems .

4. LIFE CYCLE Adult lay eggs on midrib of leaves Fecundity- 100 Incubation period- 10-13 days Nymphal period- 22-23 days Adult – Black head, pale yellow and black thorax, yellow and greenish black abdomen. Nymph is dirty yellow

5. Symptoms Leaves show many dry parts due to feeding and also injection of toxic saliva Die back symptoms

6. Management Collection and destruction of parts with pest Spraying with Dimethoate 1.7 ml /200l of water Helopeltis are predated by Oxyopes sheweta (Lynx spider).

7. Tea green leaf hopper : Empoasca flavescens ( Cicadellidae : Homoptera ) Damaging stage- Nymphs and Adults Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves

8. Life cycle Eggs are laid by inserting in the tissue of new tea buds and shoot, particularly in the internode . In one bud upto 7 eggs are laid. Fecundity 100 eggs during her lifetime. Depending on the temperature, the eggs will hatch after 5-10days, producing nymphs. There are five nymph stages. The total nymphal development period is 7 - 16 days being faster in warm weather condition. So, it takes from 12 - 30 days for leafhoppers to complete a generation. There can be as many as 10 generations in a year. The life span of the adults is 14 - 21 days; females in general live longer than males. 

9. Nymphs are more damaging than adults. Due to intensive sucking the affected leaves curl downwards; the margins become curved, then turn brown and gradually dry up. This typical symptom is called “Rim Blight”. The midrib and veins of affected leaves also show some what brownish discoloration. Photosynthetic activities is drastically reduced due to loss of chlorophyll, this coupled with imbalance in growth hormones results in stunted plant growth. SYMPTOMS

10. Management Natural Predators: Ladybeetles, Neuropterans, praying mantids feed on leafhoppers Tea growing under shade trees tends to have less leafhoppers problem. Mulching also helps to increase humidity and therefore reduce leafhopper populations. Spraying with Verticillium lecanii @ 2 gm/ ltr Use of light taps NSKE 5% Sprays with Monocrotophos @ 1.25 ml/ ltr

11. Insect pest of coffee

12. GREEN COFFEE SCALE : Coccus viridis ( Coccidae : Homoptera ) The green scale is a serious sucking pest Damaging Stage : Nymphs & Adults Nature of damage& Symptoms: Nymphs and adults sucks sap from undersurface of the leaves, green shoots, spikes and berries.  Upward curling and tender twigs drop Honeydew excrete – development of sooty mould fungus Heavy loss of the sap causes debility or even death of the plant Defoliation of badly affected trees

13. Life cycle Scales are ovoviviparous males are rare, female lay about 300 eggs in her life time of 2-5 months. The hatching of eggs occurs in few hours but the young ones remain under the scale for few days and then crawl out and find succulent place for feeding, there are 3 nymphal instars then they become adult.

14. Green coffee scale on stem & leaf

15. MANAGEMENT Preventative : Collection and d estruction of infested plant parts. Control of ants (Chlorpyriphos/ Malathion dust 5%) Remove and burn weeds which harbour the scale. The natural predators of coffee scale such as wasps , ladybird beetle and Verticillium fungus. Chemical : Spraying of oils at 10 ml/L water applied as a spray to affected plants. Only spray if 10 or more leaves are infested & spray must completely wet and cover the scales.

16. There are two species Red & white stem borer. RED STEM BORER : Zeuzera coffeae ( Cossidae : Lepidoptera) Identification of the pest : Adult - orange colour, medium sized moth The adult has white and black spotted wings The larva is red coloured STEM BORERS

17. Adult moth, larva and pupa

18. LIFE CYCLE Eggs are usually laid singly on the bark Eggs hatch in 8 – 12 days and larval development takes 3 – 4 months Pupation takes place inside the stem and the adult emerges in about 2 months Adult is a nocturnal moth

19. Damaging Stage : Larva Nature of damage: Caterpillar bores into the stem or branches & feeds on the wood. In early stages of attack, young plants or braches show wilting. Pellet-like excrement of the larva hangs out and accumulates at the base of the plant. In advanced cases, the branch dries up.

20. Management Affected plants or twigs - cut and burnt. Providing good shade to plantation. Growing coffee at higher altitudes (above 800 MSL) Field release of white muscardine fungus B. bassiana and braconid parasite Amyosoma zeuzerae . Spraying NSKE at 4 percent.

21. White stem borer : Xylotrechus quadripes ( Cerambicedae : Coleoptera ) Identification of the pest: Adult - slender, long beetle (2.5 cm). Forewings are black with white bands. Males are generally smaller than females. Head : Male beetle - possesses distinctly raised black ridges. Female beetle these ridges are inconspicuous The lifecycle of both pests is completed during the rainy season, but often damage is more evident during the dry season. Grub: White or yellowish in colour, club shaped. Damaging stage: Grub

22. Adult (male & female) and larva

23. Female lays eggs in crevices of bark of stem. Fecundity: 50-100 eggs Incubation: 8-10 Days Larval period: 8-9 months Pupal period: 25-30 Days Pupation is in stem Peak Activity: April- May & Oct- Nov LIFE CYCLE

24. Nature of damage Larvae enter into the hardwood and make the tunnels may extend even into the roots. Tunnels - tightly filed with the excreta of the grubs. Infested plants show visible ridges around the stem. Yellowing and wilting of leaves. Affected branches are easily broken off. Young plants (7 to 8 years old) attacked by the borer may die in a year.

25. Management Maintain optimum shade in the plantations Trace the infested plants – prior to flight periods ( i.e , during March and September) Every year - looking for ridges on the main stem and thick primaries. Collars prune the infested plants, uproot and burn the affected parts. Remove the loose scaly bark of the main stem and thick primaries using coir glove or coconut husk – kill the eggs Scrubbling during flight periods - kills the eggs and grubs present in the bark region. Deep scrubbing should be avoided ( sharp implement may injure the green wood and eventually kill the plant)

26. HELMET SCALE: SAIssEtia coffea ( HEMIPTERA : COCCIDAE) The hemispherical scale is distributed in the tropics and in some sub-tropical areas. NATURE OF DAMAGE Hemispherical scales feed on plant juices and cause a loss of vigor, spots on the foliage due to toxins in the scale saliva, deformation of infested plant parts, loss of leaves, retarded plant growth.

27. LIFE CYCLE EGGS The eggs are laid underneath the carapace of the adult female .The eggs are translucent or whitish just after oviposition and later turn pale yellow and ultimately orange NYMPHS The first instars are called crawlers. They are flat, oval, greenish-brown to pale amber, have six legs and are about the same size as the eggs.This is the only mobile stage of female hemispherical scales.The remaining two nymphal stages are essentially stationary at the site selected by the crawler, only under adverse conditions will female nymphs move small distances. ADULT The adult stage is incapable of locomotion and measures about 1/12 inch (2 mm) long.

28. Insect pest of coconut

29. RHINOCEROS BEETLE: ORYCTES RHINOCERUS ( COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE)

30. LIFE CYCLE

31. NATURE OF DAMAGE Central spindle appears cut or toppled Fully opened fronds showing characteristic diamond shaped cuttings Holes with chewed fibre sticking out at the base of central spindle.

32. MANAGEMENT Remove and burn all dead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to serve as breeding ground) to maintain good sanitation Field release of Baculovirus inoculated adult rhinoceros beetle @ 15/ha reduces the leaf and crown damage caused by this beetle. Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of the 3 inner most leaves in the crown Place phorate 10 G 5 g in perforated sachets in two inner most leaf axils for 2 times at 6 months intervals. Examine the crowns of tree at every harvest and hook out and kill the adults.

33. RED PALM WEEVIL: RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS ( COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDae )

34. LIFE CYCLE

35. NATURE OF DAMAGE Holes on trunk with with brownish ooze Yellowing of inner leaves Gradual wilting of central shoot in the crown

36. MANAGEMENT Remove and burn all wilting or damaged palms in coconut gardens to prevent further perpetuation of the pest. Setting up of attractant traps (mud pots) containing sugarcane molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g + longitudinally split tender coconut stem/logs of green petiole of leaves of 30 numbers in one acre to trap adult red palm weevils in large numbers. Install pheromone trap @1/2 ha

37. Coconut scale: Aspidiotus destructor ( HEMIPTERA: DIAPSIDAE) SYMPTOMS Pale yellow spots on leaves; entire leaves yellowing; leaves turning brown and dropping prematurely; adult insect is a flattened oval, resembling a scale, which is red-brown. MANAGEMENT May be possible to control coconut scale by pruning infested parts of trees and destroying by burning; chemical control may be necessary

38. Insect pest of tobacco

39. TOBACCO EATING CATTERPILLAR SPODOPTERA LITURA (NOCTUIDAE:LEPIDOPTERA) Adults are medium sized, stout bodied moths FW : are dark brown colored with zigzag white markings HW : are white in colour with out markings with a brown border .

40. Eggs: Eggs are laid in batches and covered with brown coloured hairs on the tender leaves I.P- 7-10 days Early instars Later instar LIFE CYCLE Larva: there are 5 larval instars The full grown caterpillar is about 3.5cm long and pale green to brown Colour with dark marks on the body L.P- 15-20 days Pupa : it pupates in the soil P.P – 7-10 days Adult moth

41. The full grown caterpillar is about 3.5cm long and pale green to brown Colour with dark marks on the body

42. NATURE OF DAMAGE Early instars larvae feed gregariously and cause skeletonization Later instars disperse and feed voraciously on foliage, only stalk is left, During day time hide under soil The maximum damage is caused to the nursery and young plants not only feeds on leaves but also cuts the seedling at ground level In severe case the plants are completely destroyed Caterpillar Caterpillars feeds on leaves Early instars larvae

43. MANAGEMENT - Ploughing in summer. -Collection and destruction of egg masses. -Clipping of leaves having swarms of tiny larvae. - Fenvalerate 0.02% gave quick mortality of  S. litura  in the tobacco field. -Application of Carbaryl 0.1% in field. -Sprays of Neem Seed Kernel Suspension @ 2% (NSKS 2%) in nursery. -Adoption of Integrated Pest Management approaches which increases the cured leaf yield kg/ha. -Application of  Bt  formulations ( Biolep and Bioasp @ 2 kg/ha) reduces the seedlings as well as leaves damage by the  Spodoptera litura  in tobacco nurseries. -Use Monocrotophos and Clorpyriphos baits for  Spodoptera litura .-

44. CUTWORMS: AGROTIS IPSILON ( NOCTUIDAE: LEPIDOPTERA) The adult is fairly larger in size, with a wingspan of 40 to 55 mm Fore wing is pale brown with dark purplish brown along costal end. Hind wing is white with brown tinge. Male has bipectinate antenna and female has filiform antenna

45. NATURE OF DAMAGE Caterpillar cuts the stalk of seedlings as well as transplanted plants at ground level.  They feed only at night and may be found in the day time either just below soil level or under leaves.

46. MANAGEMENT: Monocrotophos 0.24 kg a.i ./ha as foliar spray were found effective against cutworm in cigar wrapper tobacco field.

47. INSECT PEST OF CAHEWNUT

48. CASHEW STEM AND ROOT BORER: Plocaederus ferrugineus ( cerambycidae : coleoptera )

49. LIFE CYCLE Ovoid, dirty white eggs laid under loose bark in their early stages and into the wood in their late stages. Egg period 4-6 days. Full grown grub measures 7.5 cm and tunnels its way into the root region, grub period 6-7 months. Pupation occurs in a calcareous pupal chamber and pupal period 60 days. Life cycle completed in one year.

50. NATURE OF DAMAGE Stem borer infection could be easily identified by the presence of small bore holes at the collar region. Extrusion of frass (like coarse dust powder) through the holes at the collar region. Oozing of gum at the base of cashew tree trunk. The grubs that hatch out bore into the bark and feed on the sub-epidermal and vascular tissues. Extensive tunneling in the stem and root region and the tissues are tunnelled in irregular fashion. As a result of damage the supply of water and nutrients is arrested by which the leaves turn yellow and are shed and finally leads to the death of the tree.

51. MANAGEMENT Trimming and destroying infested branches, and the removal of bark, frass and larvae from attacked trunks followed by an application of tar. Inject carbon disulphide into tunnels and seal with mud