CREDIT SEMINAR ON

MANAGEMENT OF DIAMOND BACK MOTH (Plutella xylostella Linn ) ON CABBAGE,

( Brassica oleracea L. Var. Capitata)”

Presented by:RAKESH

M.Sc.(Ag)Entomology

DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGYSAM HIGGINBOTTOM INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE

TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, ALLAHABAD-211007

INTRODUCTION Cabbage is the second most important Cole crop, which originated in

Europe.

Cabbage is one of the most popular winter vegetables grown in India. Duration of the crop is about 90-101 days and date of sowing August-

November.

The cabbage crop is attacked by a number of different insect pests and among them Cabbage caterpillar, diamondback moth, Cabbage semi- looper.

Out of these, diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella is the most destructive pest of cruciferous crops.

Plutella xylostella was first recorded in 1746 and probably from European origin and In India, first recorded in Haryana, 1914 on cruciferous vegetables.

It causes 50-80% annual loss in the marketable yield and a loss of US $ 16 million every year.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Arthropoda

Class : Insecta

Order : Lepidoptera

Family : Pluttellidae

Genus : Plutella

Species : xylostella

MORPHOLOGY Eggs are laid singly or in small groups, on the upper side of

the leaves. Eggs are white-yellowish and less than 1 mm tall.

Pale green caterpillars hatch after 3-6 days and will grow up to about 12 mm long.

Caterpillars feed on leaves and they prefer the underside of

leaves. After 14-21 days they pupate inside a cocoon, of about 9

mm long, looking like a white silk mesh, attached to the underside of the leaf.

After another 5-15 days tiny grey-brownish moths emerges and lay the eggs.

Under favourable conditions up to 6-8 generations per year are possible.

General appearance Diamond shaped yellow spot is found at the

proximal portion of the forewing hence its called as diamond back moth.

LARVAEGGS

PUPA ADULT

NATURE OF DAMAGE AND SYMPTOMS

Caterpillars feed on leaves. They prefer the underside and do not eat the veins.

Damage are small incomplete holes caused by young larvae and larger complete holes caused by mature larvae.

Mining and skeletanization of cabbage leaves.

Skeletanization of cabbage leaves

Life cycle Total development time from the egg to pupal stage

averages 25 to 30 days, depending on weather, with a range of about 17 to 51 days.

Diamondback moths overwinter as adults among

field debris of cruciferous crops.

Active adults may be seen during warm periods any time in the winter.

In spring, eggs are laid, singly or in groups of two or three on foliage.

Larvae hatch a few days later, usually by early November .

When mature, larvae spin loose cocoons which remain attached to lower leaf surfaces.

After a two-week pupal period, a new generation

of moths emerges.

Activity can continue through November and even into mid-december.

There are thought to be five or six generations per year.

LIFE CYCLE

3-104 d110ays

MANAGEMENT Cultural Control

Avoid planting during the hot season, particularly at the end of the dry season.

Crop rotation with non cruciferous.

Intercropping; Planting rows of tomatoes 20:1 ratio alternately with rows of cabbage reduces damage.

Trap crops such as mustard also reduce attacks; 15 rows of cabbage followed by mustard rows has been shown to be most effective.

Frequent irrigation and rain reduce the mating of moths and wash off caterpillars and pupae from plant leaves.

Planting of marigold (Tagetes spp.) 20:1 ratio reduces the larval population with 30-50%.

Biological Control The larval parasitic wasps  Cotesia

plutellae, and  Microplitis plutellae  50,000/ha 60days after planting to control of diamondback moth.

Applying Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) 1.5 -2.0 gm

products are likely to exclude parasites because the residues are lethal to these beneficial insects.

Beauveria bassiana also used to control DBM.

Release parasite Diadegma semiclausum at 50,000/ha, 60 days after planting.

Chemical control Application of these chemical insecticides were

effective against DBM.Tr.

No

Common name Trade name Dose and

formulation

1 Cypermethrin Super killer 0.006%

25EC

1ml/lit

2 Spinosad Tracer2.5% SC 1.2ml/lit

3 Chlorpyriphos Kormet 0.05%

20 EC 2ml/lit

4 Cartap hydrochloride Dartriz 00.03%50%SP 1gm/lit of water00.. jk454g45jjk76

Resistance is a key concern with all lepidopteron pests on Cole crops.

  Extensive resistance to organophosphate,

pyrethroid, and carbamate insecticides has been documented in the diamondback moth.

Conclusion This is the important pest of cabbage it causes 50-

80% annual loss in the marketable yield.

Mining and skeletanization of cabbage leaves.

Life cycle takes 14-51 days depending upon temperature.

Planting of marigold (Tagetes spp.) reduces the larval population with 30-50%.

Chlorpyriphos 0.05% 20EC 2ml\lit is effective to control the diamondback moth.

References Anonymous, 2009.Indian Horticultural Data

Base, (2009).National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India.pp. 242.

Cartwright B, Edelson JV, Chambers C. (1987). Composite action thresholds for the control of lepidopterous pests on fresh-market cabbage in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Journal of Economic Entomology 80: PP175-181.

Etebari K, Palfreyman RW, Schlipalius D, Nielsen LK, Glatz RV, Asgari S.(2011). Deep sequencing-based transcriptome analysis of Plutella xylostella larvae parasitized by Diadegma semiclausum. BMC Genomics, 12: 446.

Feng M. G; Poprawski T. J and Khachatourians G. G. (1994). Production, formulation and application of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana for insect control: current status. Biocontrol Science and Technology. Volume 4; Issue 1: p. 3 – 34.

Gichini G; Loehr B; Rossbach A; Nyambo B and Gathu R. (2008). Can low release numbers lead to establishment and spread of an exotic parasitoid: The case of the diamondback moth parasitoid, Diadegma semiclausum (Hellen) in East Africa. Journal of Crop Protection 27 pp906-914.

G. Sow1, S. Niassy1, D. Sall-Sy1,3, L. Arvanitakis2, D. Bordat2 and K. Diarra.(1988).

Effect of timely application of alternated treatments of Bacillus thuringiensis and neem on agronomical particulars of cabbage Vol. 8(48), pp. 6164-6170, 12 V.

Hama, H. (1983). Insecticide resistance in diamondback moth. (In Japanese). Shokubutsu Boeki 37:PP471-476.

Harcourt DG. (1955). Biology of the diamondback moth, Plutella maculipennis (Curt.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), in eastern Ontario. Rpt. Quebec Soc. Prot. Plants. 37: pp155-160.