Pests of Moringa_Identification_Dr.UPR.pdf

Pod fly, Gitona distigma, Drosophilidae, Diptera
Damage symptoms
Maggots enter into tender fruits by making small-bore holes at the terminal end.
This causes oozing out of gummy fluid from fruits, which ultimately results in the drying of fruits from tip upwards.
A maximum of 20-28 maggots are found in a fruit. Internal contents of the fruits starts to rot.

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

2. Pod fly, Gitonadistigma, Drosophilidae, Diptera
1
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Distribution:Serious pest of moringain South India.
Damagesymptoms
Maggotsenterintotenderfruitsbymakingsmall-bore
holesattheterminalend.
Thiscausesoozingoutofgummyfluidfromfruits,
whichultimatelyresultsinthedryingoffruitsfromtip
upwards.
Amaximumof20-28maggotsarefoundinafruit.
Internalcontentsofthefruitsstartstorot.

3. Cigar shaped, sculptured
eggs laid on the grooves of
tender pod either singly or
in groups of 3-4. Egg period
3-4 days
Activity is maximum from April to October and declines thereafter
Full-grown cream coloured
maggots pupate in soil for
5-9 days.
Adult is a small
yellowish fly with red
eyes
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

4. Management
Asmoringapodfliesarenotattractedtomethyleugenolandfishmeal,use
attractantslikecitronellaoil,eucalyptusoil,vinegar(aceticacid),dextroseorlactic
acidtotrapflies.
Periodicallycollectanddestroyallthefallenanddamagedfruitsbydumpinginapit
andcoveringwithathicklayerofsoiltopreventcarry-overofthepest.
Frequentlyrakeupthesoilunderthetreesorploughtheinfestedfieldtodestroy
pupariaanddrenchNSKE5%at2L/treeat50%fruitset.
Spraydichlorvos76SC500mlormalathion50EC750mlin500-750mlofwaterper
hawhenpodsare20-30daysoldandapplyAzadirachtin0.03%1.0Lduring50%fruit
setand35dayslater.
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

5. Bud worm, Noordamoringae, Crambidae,
Lepidoptera
2
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Distribution.Restricted. Asia, Africa (Cameroon), Oceania.
Damage symptoms
Larvaeboreintoflowerbudsandcause
sheddingofbudsupto75%
Generally,infestedbudscontainonlyone
caterpillar
Damagedbudsseldomblossom;fall
downprematurely
Activityismoreduringsummermonthsin
SouthIndia

6. Adult is small in size
with dark brown fore
wings and white hind
wings with dark brown
border
Oval, creamy
white eggs laid in
clusters or singly
on flower buds
Caterpillars are dirty brown with a prominent mid-
dorsal stripe and black head and prothoracic shield
Pupate in minute brownish cocoons,
either in soil or on ground itself,
below dried leaves and debris
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

7. Management
Plougharoundtreestoexposeandkillpupae
Collectanddestroydamagedbudsalongwithcaterpillars
Uselighttrapstoattractandkilladults@1/ha
Spraycarbaryl50WP1kgormalathion1Lin500-750mlofwater
perha.
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

8. Leaf caterpillar, Noordablitealis, Crambidae,
Lepidoptera
3
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Distribution and status:It is a sporadically serious pest of drumstick trees especially in South India.
Damagesymptoms
Caterpillarsfeedonleaflamina,turning
themintotransparentparchmentlike
structures
Peakperiodofinfestationisduring
MarchtoAprilandDecembertoJanuary

9. Adultsaremediumsizedmoths.Forewingsare
uniformlydarkincolorwithasmallwhitestreak
nearthebase.Hindwingsarehyalinewithbroad
blackmarginalbandtowardsanalside.
Eggs are laid in batches
usually on ventral
surface of leaves
Pupationinsoil.
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

10. Hairy caterpillar, Eupterotemollifera, Eupterotidae,
Lepidoptera
4
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Damagesymptoms
Caterpillarsfeedgregariouslyby
scrappingbarkandgnawingfoliage.
Severe infestation results in complete
defoliation of the tree.
Distribution and status:Destructive and specific pest of drumstick in South India

11. Adults are large-sized moths with
light yellowish-brown wings having
faint lines
Eggs laid in clusters on leaves and
tender stems
Full-grown caterpillars are brownish
in colourand densely hairy. Hairs
are irritating to touch
Pupation takes place in soil
Only one generation/year Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

12. Management
Collectanddestroyeggmassesandcaterpillars
Uselighttrapstoattractandkilladultsimmediatelyafterrains
Useburningtorchtokillcongregatinglarvaeonthetrunk
Spraychlorpyriphos20ECorquinalphos25ECorendosulfan35EC1.0
Lin500-750Lofwaterperhaorfishoilrosinsoap25g/Lonthetrunksand
foliage,immediatelyafterrainand15dayslater
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

13. Wooly bear, Oleparicini(Pericalliaricini), Arctiidae,
Lepidoptera
5
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Symptom of damage
Defoliation
Hindwingsare pink or red
colourwith black spots
Blackish brown
larva with red
head
Round and light
yellow
It is found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Nature of damage
Caterpillar feeds on the leaves
Brownish pupa

14. Hairy caterpillar, Metanastriahyrtaca,
Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera
6
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Damagesymptoms
Caterpillarsarenocturnalinhabitand
feedgregariouslyandvoraciously
Duringday,theyremaincrowdedon
shadysideoftreetrunks
Distribution and status:Generally called as gristly citrus caterpillar and found all over the Indian sub-
continent.

15. Eggs are spherical in shape
and pale white in colour
Full-grown caterpillars are cylindrical in shape,
greyish-brown in colour, stout and hairy
Sexual
dimorphism
Male moths
have pectinate
antennae and
chocolate-
brown patch in
the middle of
forewings
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

16. Hairy caterpillar, Streblote(Taragama) siva,
Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera
7
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Distribution and status:Found all over the Indian sub continent
IPM for hairy caterpillars
Use light traps to attract and kill adults
Spray carbaryl1.0 kg or malathion 50 EC 1 L in 500 -750 L of water per ha
Full-grown caterpillars are pale ochreous–
brown in colourwith small black spots and
long lateral tufts of ochreoushair
Fore wings are beautifully colouredwith
reddish-brown spot ringed with white.

17. Bark borer, Indarbelatetraonis, Metarbellidae,
Lepidoptera
8
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Damagesymptoms
Caterpillarsboreintothetrunkorjunctionof
branchesmakezigzaggalleriesandfilledwith
frass
Theyremainhiddeninthetunnelduringday
time,comeoutatnightandfeedonthebark.
Undersevereinfestation,flowofsapishindered,
plantgrowtharrestedandfruitformationis
drasticallyreduced
Distributionandstatus:ThroughoutIndia,Burma,BangladeshandSriLankapotentialmajorpest

18. Adults emerge in summer and lays 15-
25 eggs in clusters under loose bark of
the trees. Eggs hatch in 8-10 days.
Larvae makes webs and feeds making zig
zag galleries on the wood filled with frass
and excreta and later bores inside the wood
Larval period is 9 -11 months and then
pupates inside the stem
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

19. Management
Killthecaterpillarsbyinsertinganironspikeintothetunnels.
Injectingethyleneglycolandkeroseneoilintheratioof1:3into
thetunnelbymeansofasyringe
andthensealtheopeningofthetunnelwithmud.
Dipasmallpieceofcottoninanyofthefumigants,like
chloroformorpetrolorkerosene,introduceintothetunneland
sealtheopeningwithclayormud.
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

20. Stem borer, Batocerarubus, Cerambycidae,
Coleoptera
9
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Damagesymptoms
Grubsmakezig-zagburrowbeneaththe
bark,feedoninternaltissues,reach
sapwoodandcausedeathofaffected
branchorstem.
Adultsfeedonthebarkofyoungtwigsand
petioles
Distribution and status: It is widely distributed all over the Indian sub-continent

21. Eggs are laid singly in
cracks or crevices in the
bark of the tree.
Grubs (24 to 28 weeks) are
stout, about 100 mm long,
yellowish in colourwith well-
defined segmentation.
Pupation takes
place within the
tunnels (12 to
24 weeks)
Adults are medium-sized
beetles and yellowish–
brown with white spots on
elytra.
There is only one generation in a year.Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

22. Management
Cleanaffectedportionoftreebyremovingallwebbedmaterial,
excretaetc.
Insertineachhole,cotton–woolsoakedinmonocrotophos36
WSC5mloranygoodfumigantlikecarbondisulphide,carbon
tetrachloride,chloroformorevenpetrolandsealtreatedhole
withmud
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

23. Bud midge, Stictodiplosismoringae, Cecidomyiidae,
Diptera
10
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
It is a minor pest of drumstick.
Eggs are laid in clusters on anthers within the
flower buds.
Maggots feed on internal tissues of buds
especially on ovaries.
Pest is active during August to January.
Infested buds soon fall down and the full-fed
maggots come out to pupate in soil.
A single life cycle is completed in 12 to 19 days.
Midge adult

24. Aphid, Aphis gossypii, Aphididae, Hemiptera11
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Scale insects, Ceroplastodescajani, Diaspididae,
Hemiptera
12
Leaf eating weevils, Myllocerousspp., Curculionidae,
Coleoptera
13
Minor pests