Insect pests of Safflower Safflower is one of the most important rainfed and draught tolerant oil seed crops of India. Safflower is mainly grown for its edible oil in the semi arid tropics of India. Karnataka is the second largest safflower growing state.

Safflower is attacked by 36 species of insect pests in India

Safflower caterpillar : Prospalta capensis (Noctuidae : Lepidoptera )

Adult is a medium sized dark brown coloured moth and measures about 2.5cm in length

Fore wings are dark brown with pale coloured wavy markings Hind wings are light brown in colour

It is a serious pest and distributed throughout India

Eggs : are laid singly or in small clusters on under surface of leaf and stem I.P – 3-4 days

Larva : stout, green and smooth, anal segment is humped and the body has some purple markings L.P – 14-15 days

Pupa – Pupation takes place in soil P.P – 8-9 days

Nature of damage The larva feeds on the leaves and defoliate plants as a result of this plant loose their vigour and stunted It also feeds on bracts, flowers, capsules

Enormous yield losses of 62.6 to 100% have been encountered due to excessive foliage feeding by a large number of larvae.

Larva defoliate the plant as a result of this plant loose their vigour and stunted Management practices To encourage natural enemies – the larvae parasitized by Apanteles flavipes Chelonus blackburni Rogas percurrens Intercropping with non-host crop like wheat. Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided. Spraying of methyl parathion @ 0.05 % or monocrtophos @ 0.05% or fenvalerate 20 EC @ 250 ml/ha.

Safflower aphid : Dactynotus carthami (Aphididae : Hemiptera )

Adults are small shining black coloured soft bodied insects with cornicles on the abdomen They attack the crops about one month old and on wards The aphids are active from December to April

Nature of damage

Nymphs and adults are found in larger number and suck the sap from leaves, shoots, flowers and capsules and affected plants remain stunted. Honey dew excretion develops sooty mould so affect the photosynthetic activity of the plant. About 40-50% yield losses are observed due to this insect. Infestation may occur 30-45 days old crop. Seed production is seriously afected

Aphid affected plant

Management practices

Avoid late sowing

If the attack is observed in the border rows take control measures

Avoid excess use of nitrogen.

Maintain 2 or 3 rows of Maize and Sorghum around the fields.

Release of Chrysoperla eggs/grubs @ 1-2/plant.

Spray the crop with dimethoate or monocrotophos or oxydemeton methyl @ 1 ml / lit. of water

Safflower bud fly: Acanthiophilus helianthi ( Tephritidae : Diptera )

Adult flies are ash coloured with light brown coloured legs. The adults are active from March - MayEggs : the female lay eggs in clusters of 6-24 with in the flower buds or the flowers I.P – 1-2 days in April Maggot : is dirty white in colour and start feeding on the florets and thalamus L.P – 1 weekPupa – Pupation takes place in side the buds P.P – 6-7 days Nature of damage Newly hatched larvae feed on the soft parts of the capsules Affected buds show small bored holes The infested buds rotten with a foul smelling ooze coming out of the buds and giving a soaked appearance of the buds

Management practices The early removal and destruction of infested buds is helpful in checking the spread of the pest

Application of dimethoate 30 EC @ 600-650 ml/ha or malathion 50 EC @ 1.00 lit. /ha or phosphomidon 100 EC@ 150-200 ml/ha. About 600 to 650 lit. of water is needed for spraying in about one hectare area.

Helicoverpa armigera Spodoptera litura

Adult moth

Adult moth

Larva

Larva

Caterpillar feed on leaves and also feed flower florets, bracts and bores in to the capsules and feed on the seed. Caterpillar feed on the leaves

and thus defoliate the plant.

Management practices

Intercropping with non host crop like wheat or barley.

Avoid chickpea as an intercrop.

Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.

Spray the crop with Ha NPV @ 250-300 larval equivalents/ha.

Conserve Campoletis chloridae, Enicospilus sp, etc.

Spray monochrotophos 750 ml/ha in 600-800 lit. of water per hectare. Other minor pests of safflower are1. Leaf hopper – Empoasca spp.2. Green peach aphid – Myzus persicae3. Plant bug – Dolycoris indicus

Insect pests of Sesamum Sesamum (Sesamum indicumL.)is an important oilseed crop in tropics and subtropics. However, 99% of its production area is located in developing countries Sesame is attacked by numerous pests and diseases that reduce its yield and lower the quality of the seed. About 38 insect pest species have been found to infest sesame, Of which important ones are

Leaf webber : Antigastra catalaunalis (Pyralidae : Lepidoptera )

Adults are small pale brownish coloured moth with yellowish brown elongate wings and dark brown markings on the wing tips

The sesamum leaf webber is a serious and regular pest of Sesamum and is also distributed throughout India. This species has been reported from Europe, Africa and IndonesiaThe infestation starts from March and persists up to December

Life cycle of the pest

Eggs : A female moth lays, on an average of 86 eggs and each female moth lays 100-120 eggs and laid on tender leaves or flowers. I.P – 4-5 days

Larva : Grown up larva is greenish white with black warts and fine hairs all over the body and black coloured head. L.P – 11-16 days Hibernates as caterpillar within the pods

Pupa : Pupates in silken cocoon under fallen leaves or soil crevices P.P – 4-7 days

Nature of damage The young larvae web together a few top leaves and feed on them.

In the early stage of infestation, the plant dies without producing any branch or shoot.

In later stage of attack, infested shoots stop growing.

At flowering, larvae feed inside the flowers and on capsule formation, larvae bore into capsule and feed on developing seeds

Infested capsule

Management practices Early sown (first week of July) kharif crop is less infested than

late sown crop. Intercrop with mungbean, pearl millet and groundnut.

Two sprayings of quinalphos 0.05% at 30 and 45 days after sowing. or

Two rounds of dusting with phosalone 4% or malathion 5% dust @ 25 kg/ha at 30 and 45 days after sowing.

Gingelly gall fly: Asphondylia sesami ( Cecidomyiidae : Diptera )

It is a common pest of sesamum in South India and is also distributed in Indonesia, Srilanka, The Philippines and Myanmar In India, it has been recorded in TN, AP, Kerala, MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra and RajsthanAdult : is a small mosquito like fly with bright coloured wings and long legs and moniliform antennae

Eggs : are insert in to ovaries of flower buds, flowers and capsules I.P – 2-4 daysLarva : A small white maggots, found inside the flowers and bores into the ovaries of flower buds and feed on ovary as a result of this flowers turned malformed galls, shrivel and fall off. L.P – 2-5 days

Infested flower buds

Nature of damage

Maggots feed inside the floral parts and causes malformation of buds

Leading to formation of gall like structure which do not develop in to flower/capsules.

The affected buds wither and drop.

When infestation is severe the crop may be a total failure

Pupa : Pupation occurs inside the galls P.P – 2-3 weeks Total life cycle – 23-37 days

Management practices

Intercrop with mungbean, pearl millet and groundnut.

Clip the galls, pick and burn the shedded buds.

Conserve  larval parasitoids of gall fly like Eurytoma dentipectus, Bracon hebetor etc.,

Spray crop at bud initiation stage dimethoate 0.03%.

Sesamum leaf eating caterpillar : Acherontia styx (Sphingidae : Lepidoptera)

Adult is a giant dark- yellowish hawk moth with skull like marking on the thorax with violet and yellow band on the abdomen

This is a pest of Sesamum, common in India and also distributed in Indonesia, Srilanka and Philippines Besides Sesamum, it has been reported on Potato, Brinjal, Lab-lab and ornamental plants such as Balsam

Eggs : are laid singly on leaves I.P -2-5 days

Caterpillar : stout green yellowish oblique stripes with prominent cured horn on the abdomen L.P – 2 months

Pupa : Pupation takes place in earthen cocoon in the soil P.P – 2-3 weeks

The Larvae feed voraciously on the leaves and defoliate the plant

Adult moth visit bee hives during night suck the honey from the comb

Management practices Deep ploughing exposes the pupae for predation to insectivorous birds. Hand picking of the larvae in the initial stage of attack and destroy them

Two rounds of dusting with phosalone 4% or malathion 5%, first at 30 DAS and second at 45 DAS.

Other minor pests

1. Nezara viridula

2. Dolycoris indicus

Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from tender leaves and pods

3. Leaf hopper : Orosius albicinctus (Cicadellidae : Hemiptera )

Adults are light brown coloured hopper

Sesamum phyllody disease

DamageThe curling of leaf edges and leaves turn red or brown. The leaves eventually dry up and shed.

Also vector of “Sesamum phyllody”

Management practices

Remove and destroy infected plants.

Seed treatment with imidacloprid or carbosulfan or spraying of monocrotophos protects the crop from all sucking pests including jassids for about a month.

Spray Monocrotophos 36WSC or dimethoate 30 EC@ 500 ml/ha combined with Intercropping of sesame + redgram

4. Hairy caterpillars or Arctiids : Spilarctia obliqua Amsacta albistriga Pericallia ricini

5. Noctuids : Spodoptera litura Helicoverpa armigera Plusia signata

Caterpillars of these pests feeds on the leaves and defoliate the plants

Insect pests of Mustard

Mustard (Brassica juncea), is the major edible oilseed brassica crop in India, and is extensively grown traditionally as a pure crop as well as intercrop (or mixed crop) in marginal and sub - marginal soils in the Eastern, Northern and North Western states of India.

Cool moist climate of winter months is the major factor for the luxuriant growth and productivity of mustard in these states

The several insect pests are reported on Mustard crop. Some important ones are

Sawfly (Athalia lugens proxima)

Mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi) is the key pest and

three others pests viz, Painted bug (Bagrada hilaris), Cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae) and Bihar hairy caterpillar (Spilarctia obliqua) are assumed to be of regional and sporadic importance

Mustard sawfly : Athalia lugens proxima (Tenthredinidae : Hymenoptera)

Adult fly measures 8-11 mm in length and orange yellow coloured insect with black markings on the body especially femora and thorax Female with saw like ovipositor and abdomen is orange colour Wings are translucent, Smokey with black coloured veins

It is a cold weather pest of mustard

Host plants : Mostly attack Crucifers especially radish is the most preferred host

Eggs : Eggs are insert singly, in slits made with saw like ovipositor along the under sides of the leaf margins Each female lays 60 eggs I.P 4-5 daysLarva : Cylindrical , greenish black in colour with wrinkled body and has 7-8 pairs of prolegs. A full grown larva measures 16-18mm in length, on touch the larva suddenly falls to ground and like a feign death. L.P – 13-18 days

Pupa : Pupation in earthen cocoon in soil P.P – 10-15 days

Larvae feeds on leaves i.e early instar it nibbles the leaves as a result there is slight curling Later instar they feed from margin inside to wards midrib and it falls to the ground and feigns death on slightest touch They devour the epidermis of the shoot, resulting in drying up of seedlings and failure to bear seeds in older plants

Nature of damage

Management practices

Summer ploughing to destroy the pupae

To maintain clean cultivation

Early sowing should be done

Apply irrigation in seedling stage is very crucial for saw fly management, because most of the larva die due to drowning effect ( sink in water) Severe cold also reduces the pest load

Collection and destruction of larvae of saw fly in morning and evening hours

Use of bitter gourd seed oil emulsion as an antifeedant

Spray the crop with malathion 50EC @ 1 lit. or quinalphos 25EC @ 625ml in 500-600 lit. of water / ha once in October and again in March - April

Mustard aphid : Lipaphis erysimi ( Aphididae : Hemiptera)

Aphids are small, soft bodied, pear shaped pale greenish insects, abundant from December- March Favourable conditions for pest build up The aphid attack generally during 2nd and 3rd week of December and continues till march The most favourable temp. – 8 to 240 C i.e Cloudy and cold weather RH – 70-80% Rainy and humid weather helps in accelerating the growth of insects

Nature of damage Both nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from leaves, stems, buds and pods

Curling may occur in infested leaves and get advanced stage plants may wither and die

Vitality of plants is greatly reduced and remain stunted

The flowers fail to form pods and developing pods do not produce healthy seeds Honey dew excreted as result development of sooty mould and come in the way of photosynthetic activity of the plant

The infected plants looks sickly and blighted in appearance

Management practices The crop sown before 20th of October escape from the damage Use mustard aphid tolerant varieties like JM-1 and RK-9501

Set up yellow sticky trap to monitor the aphid population

To conserve the following natural enemies Lady bird beetles – Coccinella septumpunctata Menochilus sexmaculata Hippodamia variegata Cheilomenes vicinaAre the most efficient predators of the mustard aphidAdult beetle may feed on average of 10-15 adults per day.Several species of Syrphids- Eristallis spp. Metasyrphus spp. Xanthogramma spp. Syrphus spp. are predating on aphids

The green lace wing , Chrysoperla zastrowii predaceous on mustard aphid colony The braconid parasitoid, Diaretiella rapae are very active biocontrol

agent cause the mummification of aphids

A number of entomophagus fungi : Cephalosporium aphidicola Entomophthora coronata infesting the aphids Verticillium lecanii

Spray the crop with any one of the following Insecticides at flowering stage Oxydemeton methyl 25 EC or dimethoate 30EC or Malathion 50EC @ 625-1000 ml / ha

Painted bug : Bagrada hilaris (B. cruciferarum ) ( Pentatomidae : Hemiptera )

Adult is a black coloured bug with yellow and orange markings on the body The adult first appears in the field in October months and activity slows down by march to become active and again in the kharif

Nature of damage The adults and the nymphs suck the sap from the plants as a result young plants wilt and wither as a result of attack

Both quality and quantity of yield is affected when grown up plants are severely affected

In certain years they appear in epidemic forms

The nymphs and adults also excrete a sort of resinous material which spoils the pods

Management practices Deep ploughing so that the eggs of painted bugs are destroy

Early sowing is needed to avoid pest attack

Irrigate the crop during four weeks after sowing to reduce pest attack

Quick threshing of the harvested crop should be done

Burn the remains of mustard crop so that the stages of insect do not reach the next year crop

The bugs usually congregate on the leaves and stem which can be jerked to dislodged them and killed in kerosinized water

Spray the crop with malathion 50EC@ 1 lit. or dimethoate 30 EC @ 625ml in 600-700 lit. of water

Green peach aphid : Myzus pesicae Aphididae : Hemiptera

The aphids are minute, delicate, pear shaped , yellowish green winged or wingless insects Nature of damage Both nymphs and adults damage the plants by actively sucking the sap after the appearance of inflorescence The aphid congregate on terminal buds and feeds there. As a result, there is flower shedding, poor pod formation and shriveling of grains The pest also transmits viral diseases The honey dew attracts sooty mould Management practices Sow the crop in first week of October Spray the crop with dimethoate 30EC @ 500ml or oxydemeton methyl 25EC @ 625ml in 750 lit. of water / ha when aphids start congregating on top of flowering buds

Cabbage butter fly : Pieris brassicae ( Pieridae : Lepidoptera )

Adult moths have pale white coloured wings with a black patch on the apical angle of each fore wing and a black spot on the costal margin of each hind wing

Nature of damage The caterpillar alone feeds on leaves, young shoots and green pods

When caterpillars are young – they feed gregariously but the grown up caterpillars migrate from one field to another

First instar caterpillars just scrape the leaf surface where as the subsequent instars feeds on leaves from the margins in wards leaving intact the main veins, often entire plants eaten up

Management practices When larva is in gregarious stage, can be easily controlled by picking and destroying the infected leaves

The grown up caterpillars should be controlled with malathion 5 % D @ 37.5 kg / ha or By Spraying dichlorvos 76 SC @ 500ml in 600 – 900 lit. of water / ha

To conserve larval parasitoid – Apanteles glomeratus ( Braconidae) in the natural populations

Defoliators1. Plutella xylostella2. Hellula undalis3. Crocidolomia binotalis4. Spiloarctia obliqua

Diamond back moth – Plutella xylostella ( Plutellidae : Lepidoptera) Young larvae scraping the epidermal leaf tissues , causes white patches on the leaves as a result leaves are withered appearanceIn later stages – larvae feed on the leaves as a result bored holes on the leavesIt also bores in to the pods and feeds on developing seeds Management practices Installing pheromone trap @ 5 traps / acre to monitor the moth activity Collection and destruction of the larvae at gregarious stage at least twice a week Conserve Cotesia plutellae, as it is an important parasitoid for DBM Diadegma insulare is also most important parasitoid for DBM For control grown up larvae apply 5 % malathion @ 37.5 Kg / ha

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