Pests of Chrysanthemum_Identification_Dr.UPR.pdf

Chrysanthemums (often referred to as mums) are beautiful, popular flowering plants that can be susceptible to various pests. These pests can cause damage to the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots of the plant, affecting both their growth and aesthetic appeal. Here are the most common pests that affect chrysanthemums:

1. Aphids
Description: Small, soft-bodied insects, often green, yellow, or black.
Damage: Aphids suck sap from the plant, causing leaves to curl, yellow, and become distorted. They also produce honeydew, which can lead to the growth of sooty mold.
Control: Use insecticidal soap, neem oil, or natural predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and hoverflies.
2. Whiteflies
Description: Small, white, flying insects that resemble tiny moths.
Damage: Whiteflies feed on the sap of chrysanthemums, leading to yellowing, wilting, and stunted growth. They also produce honeydew, encouraging mold growth.
Control: Use yellow sticky traps, insecticidal soap, or neem oil to control them.
3. Spider Mites
Description: Tiny, red or green arachnids that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
Damage: Spider mites feed on the undersides of leaves, causing a characteristic speckling or stippling pattern. The affected leaves turn yellow and may develop fine webbing.
Control: Increase humidity around the plant, regularly spray with water to dislodge mites, or use miticides and neem oil.
4. Thrips
Description: Tiny, slender insects that are usually yellow, brown, or black.
Damage: Thrips damage chrysanthemum flowers by feeding on the petals, causing them to become discolored, deformed, and scarred. They also leave black marks on the flowers.
Control: Use insecticidal soap, neem oil, or introduce natural predators such as predatory mites or minute pirate bugs.
5. Caterpillars (Leaf-eating larvae)
Description: Larvae of various moths and butterflies.
Damage: Caterpillars chew on the leaves of chrysanthemums, leaving them ragged or even consuming entire leaves.
Control: Handpick caterpillars or use biological control agents such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to target larvae.
6. Leaf Miners
Description: Tiny larvae of certain flies that tunnel between the upper and lower leaf surfaces.
Damage: The larvae create winding, serpentine trails within the leaves, which can cause the leaves to yellow and drop prematurely.
Control: Remove and destroy affected leaves, or use systemic insecticides to target the larvae.

1. Pests of
Chrysanthemum
By
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD.
Assistant Professor (Entomology)
JSACAT
Affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

2. Black aphid, Macrosiphoniellasanborni, Aphididae,
Hemiptera
1
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Darkbrowncolouraphidscause
yellowing,prematureleaffall,
withering,stuntedgrowth,leaf
curling,decreaseinflowersize
andunopenedflowers.

3. Leaffolder, Hedylepta(Lamprosema) indicata,
Pyraustidae, Lepidoptera
2
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Thelarvaisgreenwithwhite
stripesandtheadultisorange
mothwithdarklines.The
larvaefoldtheleaves.

4. Thrips Microcephalothrips abdominalis, Haplothrips
ramakrishnae, Frankliniella sp., Thripssp.,
Thripidae, Thysanoptera
3
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Thenymphsandadultsinfest
theflowerheadsbylacerating
thesepalsandfeedsonthe
oozingsap.Thisleadsto
withering,silvering,mottling,
distortionofleavesand
damagedflowers

5. Bud borer, Helicoverpaarmigera, Noctuidae,
Lepidoptera
4
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Larva feeds on the buds and flowers

6. Leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii, Agromyzidae, Diptera5
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Life cycle

7. Papaya mealy bug, Paracoccus marginatus,
Pseudococcidae, Hemiptera
6
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

8. IntegratedPestManagement
•Keepthefieldscleanfromweedfree.
•Uprootanddestroyinfestedplantsandweedstocontrolspreadofinsects.
•ReleaseAcerophaguspapayae@100parasitoids/field/villageorblock.
•AnagyruslopeziandPseudleptomastixmexicana
Acerophaguspapayae Anagyruslopezi Pseudleptomastixmexicana
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)