Everything you need to know about controlling pests of vegetables. Learn about how to control pests of:- 1. Snake Gourd 2. Summer Squash 3. Beet Leaf 4. Coriander 5. Fenugreek 6. Pumpkin 7. Mustard 8. Baby Corn 9. Ivy Gourd.
Contents:
- How to Control Pests of Snake Gourd?
- How to Control Pests of Summer Squash?
- How to Control Pests of Beet Leaf?
- How to Control Pests of Coriander?
- How to Control Pests of Fenugreek?
- How to Control Pests of Pumpkin?
- How to Control Pests of Mustard?
- How to Control Pests of Baby Corn?
- How to Control Pests of Ivy Gourd?
1. How to Control Pests of Snake Gourd?
I. Fruit Fly (Bactrocera Cucurbitae):
Snake gourd yield is drastically reduced, if the crop is attacked by fruit fly in early stage. Bora and Dutta (1997) reported about 62% fruit infestation by this pest in snake gourd. Among cucurbits, snake gourd is the most preferred crop by fruit fly, as this pest completes incubation, larval and pupal period within 3 weeks. Adult female lays 20 to 30 white cigarette-shaped eggs upon tender fruits. After hatching, the white maggots feed inside the fruits, which cause deformity, rotting and premature dropping of fruits.
Control:
i. Collect and destroy the infested plant parts and fruits.
ii. Expose the pupae by deep ploughing in hot summer months.
iii. Spray Cypermethrin (0.025 %) to control the under surface population of flies.
iv. Application of carbaryl (0.1%) at tender fruit stage (up to 5 days after fertilization) gives excellent control of fruit fly.
v. Use 20 × 15 cm poly-bags fishmeal traps with bait comprising 5 g of fishmeal + 1 ml of Dichlorvos in cotton @ 50 traps/ha. Fishmeal and cotton should be removed once in 20 and 7 days, respectively.
vi. Bait spray with Malathion (50 EC) 20 ml + yeast hydroxylate (10 g) + 20 liter water + 500 g molasses gives effective control of fruit fly.
vii. Foliar spray of Fenthion (0.05%) with 5% jaggery at fruit formation is also recommended.
II. Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora Foveicollis Lucas):
The attack of red pumpkin beetles on snake gourd crop is very less. The beetle feeds on cotyledons and foliage. Grubs develop into the soil, and occasionally, feed on roots, causing wilting of plants. The adult beetles emerge from the soil and make typical shot holes on foliage. The grubs also damage underground portion of plants by boring into the roots, stems and sometimes into the fruits touching the soil.
Control:
i. Summer deep ploughing is recommended to expose the grubs present in the soil.
ii. Two-three sprayings of carbaryl (Sevin) 0.1-0.2% or Rogor 0.1 % near the base of plants just after germination are recommended for its control.
iii. Spraying of 0.01% neem seed kernels extract and 0.4% neem oil can effectively control the beetles.
III. Semi-Looper (Anadevidia Peponis):
The caterpillars of this insect damage the young leaves. Single adult female lays about 150 eggs singly during the nighttime on upper- and lower-leaf surface. The life cycle gets completed within 20-31 days. Its adults survive only for 5-10 days. The sex ratio (male: female) is usually 1 : 1.27.
Control:
i. Foliar spray of 0.05% Quinalphos or Monocrotophos or Endosulfan and/or 0.03% Dimethoate is highly effective against this pest.
ii. Foliar spray of Malathion 50 EC (1 ml/litre) or Methyl demeton 25 EC (1 ml/litre) or Fenthion 100 EC (1 ml/litre) also controls the semi-looper effectively.
IV. Leaf Miner (Liriomyza Trifolii):
Leaf miner infestation takes place during the month of March-April. The eggs hatch within 2- 3 days and larvae scrap the chlorophyll and leaf tissues feeding between lower and upper epidermis and making zigzag tunnels. The larvae make mines in leaves, especially in mature leaves.
i. Pluck and destroy the old leaves severely infested by leaf miner.
ii. Spray the crop with 4% NSKE (Neem Seed Kernel Extract) at weekly interval.
iii. Foliar spray of Dimethoate (30 EC) @ 1 ml/liter is effective to control this pest.
V. Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita, M. Hapla and M. Javanica):
These long, slender, and microscopic organisms attack the root system. Infective larvae enter the roots, form galls, and adversely affect the growth system, and consequently, the crop yield is reduced.
i. Apply 2-4 kg a.i./ha carbofuran 3G or 10 kg a.i./ha Phorate or 2-4 kg a.i./ha Aldicarb during field preparation.
ii. Soil fumigation with Nemagon or DD mixture @ 200-400 litres/ha is very effective in controlling nematodes.
iii. Soil application of neem cake @ 80-100 kg/ha is also advantageous.
2. How to Control Pests of Summer Squash?
I. Fruit Fly (Bactrocera Cucurbitae):
Though providentially fruit fly is not at all a serious pest of summer squash, sometimes, it causes damage by puncturing tender fruits. The female flies puncture the tender fruits and lay 20-30 cigarette shaped white eggs below the rind of tender fruits, and after hatching, the white maggots feed inside the fruits, causing deformity, rotting and premature dropping of fruits.
i. Collect and destroy the infested plant parts and fruits.
ii. Behavioral control through methyl euginol (0.5%) bait trap along with insecticides reduces the adult population to some extent.
iii. Spray the crop with Cypermethrin (0.025 %) to control the under surface population of flies, however, this chemical is not recommended if red spider mite population is also there.
iv. Foliar application of carbaryl (0.1%) at tender fruit stage (up to 5 days after fertilization) gives excellent control of fruit fly.
v. Bait spray with 20 ml Malathion 50 EC + 10 g yeast hydroxylate + 500 g molasses + 20 liter water gives effective control of fruit fly.
vi. Foliar spray of Fenthion (0.05%) with 5% jaggery at fruit formation is also effective.
II. Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora Foveicollis):
The beetles that feed on cotyledons and foliage are very destructive. Its grubs develop in the soil, and occasionally, feed on roots, causing wilting of plant. The grubs also damage underground portion of plants by making bores into the roots, stems, and sometimes, into the fruits touching the soil. Adult beetles emerge from the soil and make typical shot holes on leaves.
i. Summer deep ploughing is recommended to expose the grubs present in the soil.
ii. Two-three sprays of Carbaryl (0.1-0.2%) or Rogor (0.1%) at 3-4 cm depth in soil near the base of plants just after germination is recommended
iii. The beetles can effectively be controlled by spraying 0.01% methanol extracted neem seed kernel and 0.4% neem oil.
III. Mites (Tetranychus Neocaledonicus Andre):
The damage is caused by both the nymphs and adults that live in colonies beneath silken web on ventral surface of leaves. Usually, the mites feed on the underside of leaves by sucking cell sap. Gradually, the chlorophyll degradation takes place and leaves dry. Infested leaves are smaller, and webbing interferes with plant growth. The yield is considerably reduced due to poor setting of fruits.
i. Adequate supply of water in summer season and use of optimum dose of nitrogen result in less attack of mites.
ii. Foliar spray of 4% NSKE (Neem Seed Kernel Extract) at weekly interval is effective.
iii. Spray the crop with Dicofol 18.5 EC @ 0.05% (2.75 ml/litre) or Vertimac 1.8 SL @ 0.8 ml/litre at 15-20 days interval.
iv. Foliar spray of dimethoate (1.5 ml/litre) or Ethion (1.0 ml/litre) or wettable sulfur (2.5 g/ litre) is also useful to control the mites.
IV. Leaf Miner (Liriomyza Trifolii L.; Sativae Blanch):
The leaf miner, usually, attacks during the month of March-April. It causes damage by making mines in the leaves, especially in mature leaves. The eggs hatch within 2-3 days, and the larvae feed on leaves making zigzag tunnels between lower and upper epidermis and scrap the chlorophyll and leaf tissues.
i. Pluck the old leaves severely infested by leaf miner and destroy them.
ii. Spray the crop with 4% NSKE (Neem Seed Kernel Extract) at weekly interval.
iii. Foliar spray of dimethoate (30 EC) @ 1 ml/litre is advantageous for the control of leaf miner.
iv. Foliar spray of Chlorpyrifos @ 1.5 kg a.i/ha weekly or 15 days interval resulted in 32-62% reduction of pupae on squash plants.
V. Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita, M. Hapla and M. Javanica):
Summer squash is also infested with nematodes that are long, slender, and microscopic and attack the plants root system. Infective larvae enter the roots and form galls, which adversely affect the root system, and consequently, reduce the plant growth and yield.
i. Soil application of carbofuran 3G (2-4 kg/ha) or Phorate (10 kg a.i./ha) or Aldicarb (2-4 kg a.i./ha) during field preparation is effective to control the nematode population.
ii. Soil fumigation with DD mixture (200-400 litre/ha) is very effective for the control of nematodes.
iii. Soil application of neem cake @ 80-100 kg/ha is also advantageous.
3. How to Control Pests of Beet Leaf?
Beet leaf is not so seriously damaged by the insect-pests, however, aphids and leaf-eating caterpillars sometimes do considerable damage to the crop.
I. Aphids (Aphis Gossypii and Myzus Persicae):
These are tiny sucking type greenish insects attacking tender growing leaves. They suck cell sap from the tender foliage due to which plant growth is restricted. Plants become weak and the quality of leaves is reduced as a result they become unfit for consumption after infestation. The pest appears early in October and continues its activity until the end of March.
i. Cut and destroy all the infested leaves during the early stage of attack.
ii. Spray Malathion 50 EC at 0.1% or Metasystox 25 EC at 0.025%.
II. Leaf Eating Caterpillars (Laphygma Exiqua):
The caterpillars feed on leaves and make holes as a result the yield and quality of leaves are reduced. Affected leaves are not acceptable by consumers in the market.
i. Pick up the caterpillars manually and destroy them in early stage of attack.
ii. Spray the crop with 0.1 % Malathion 50 EC.
III. Grasshopper (Atractomorpha Crenulata Fabricius):
It is a minor pest, however, sometime found causing serious damage to leaves. There is no control measure suggested for this pest because of minor pest to the crop.
Note:
Harvesting should be done 6-8 days after spraying the insecticide.
4. How to Control Pests
of Coriander?
I. Coriander Aphids (Hyadaphis Coriandri Das):
Aphid is the most destructive pest of coriander. Nymphs and adults both are found in colonies on ventral surface of leaves and shoots and suck sap from the tender tissues as a result the plants remain stunted. Its infestation in greens crop deteriorates the market quality and in seed crop causes shriveling of fruits, and in severe infestation, the plants may completely dry up and die.
The aphids also produce copious quantity of honeydew, which makes the plants sticky and favors the growth of black sooty mould, which hinders the photosynthesis and affects the plant growth and yield adversely. Occurrence of rains followed by dry season is the most favorable conditions for rapid multiplication of aphid population during mild winter. The incidence of this insect is generally greater on varieties flower late than those that flower early.
Control:
i. Remove and destroy the heavily infested parts of the plant.
ii. Spray simple water with bit pressure.
iii. Apply aldicarb 1 kg a.i./ha as side dressing.
iv. Apply fish oil, resin soap or neem seed kernel-extract 3%, neem oil 2% or tobacco decoction 0.05%.
v. Spray the crop with Monocrotophos 0.04%, endosulfan 0.07%, Malathion 0.05%, methyl demeton 0.05%, dichlorvos 0.05%, dimethoate 0.05%, acephate 0.05%, or phosphamidon 0.03%, and can be repeated after 10 days if required.
II. White Fly (Bemisia Tabaci):
Whitefly is a widely found insect, especially in tropics and sub-tropics and attacks most of the autumn-winter vegetables. The female lays eggs on ventral surface of leaves that singly attached by thin, small whitish stalks. These white tiny scale-like insects may be seen crowding on ventral surface of the leaves and sucking sap from the infested parts. The pest becomes more active during dry season, and its activity is reduced with the onset of rains.
The affected plant parts turn yellowish, and the leaves become wrinkled and curl downwards and ultimately fall down. In addition to direct damaging, these insects also exude honeydew, which favors the development of sooty mould. In case of severe infestation, this black coating is so heavy that it interferes with the photosynthetic activity of the plant resulting in stunted growth. The insect also acts as a vector for transmitting leaf curl virus.
i. Give prophylactic spray with formathion 0.05% or dimethoate 0.05%.
ii. Spray the crop with oxydemeton 0.03%, methyl-phosphamidon, or thiometon 0.03% at 10- 12 days intervals.
III. Ragi or Tobacco Cut Worm (Spodoptera Exigua):
This is a widely found pest, and attacks a number of plants such as chilli, onion, brinjal, coriander, radish, and cowpea. The eggs are laid in clusters on lower portions of young plants and the light green dark headed larvae that hatch out feed on leaves become full-grown measuring about 40 mm long. The caterpillar is brownish green with dark wavy lines on dorsum and yellow strip on the sides. In daytime, they hide into the soil and feed at night eating away portion of leaves from the edges.
i. Provide timely irrigation since it brings the larvae out to the surface, which are preyed by the birds.
ii. Spray the crop with parathion 0.025% or dichlorvos 0.1%.
IV. Cigarette Beetle (Lasioderma Serricorne):
Cigarette beetle is a major pest of storage. The dried coriander fruits are often attacked by this insect in storage. As the name suggests, the primary hosts of this pest are tobacco, cigarettes, and cigars, while the grubs of this insect latter feed on stored spices and dry vegetables. The white grubs are fleshy and crescent-shaped with dense hair all over the body, and reddish-yellow adults are robust, oval, and 2-3 cm long having minute hair on elytra.
i. Dry the coriander grains in sun spreading in a thin layer if infestation is not so severe.
ii. In severe infestation, fumigate the grains with methyl iodide in airtight chamber.
V. Mites (Petrobia Latens):
Mites often attack the coriander crop as a result the whole plant turns whitish yellow and appears sickly. The insect generally feeds on young leaves but sometimes the infestation is more severe on young inflorescence. Small mites live in webs on ventral surface of leaves and feed within webs as a result the plants become stunted when the infestation is severe.
i. Spray 1% neem oil on the standing crop.
ii. Spray the crop with 0.025% Ethion (50 EC), 0.07% Dicofol (18.6 EC), 0.03% Phosphomidon (85 WSC), or wettable sulfur (2 kg/ha) and repeat after 10 days if required.
Note:
The spray of insecticide should be avoided on crop raised for leaf purpose.
5. How to Control Pests of Fenugreek?
The fenugreek crop is generally less affected by insect-pests and diseases, however, a few that sporadically harm the crop are aphids, leaf eating caterpillars, pod borers, mites, powdery mildew, downy mildew and root rot.
I. Aphids (Acryrthosiphon Pisum, Henis. Myzus Persicae, Sulzer and Aphis Craccivora Koch.):
The most common insect that attacks the crop is aphid, which is found in colonies/patches on tender leaves, stems, and inflorescence. Both nymphs and adults suck sap from the tender leaves, thus, reducing their marketability. The incidence is known to increase with heavy application of nitrogen in soil. The severe infestation affects the yield and quality of leaves badly.
i. Clip off the heavily infested plant parts.
ii. Spray the crop with pressurized water.
iii. Spray Malathion (0.05%), Quinalphos (0.04%), Dimethoate (0.03%), Methyl demeton (0.03%), or Ekalux (0.05%), and repeat after 10 days, if required.
iv. Apply fish oil, resin soap or neem seed kernel-extract 3%, neem oil 2%, or tobacco decoction 0.05%.
II. Leaf Eating Caterpillars (Spilarcitia Oblique and Spodoptera Litura Fabricius):
A large number of caterpillars appears and destroys the leaves. The eggs are laid in clusters and young larvae gregariously feed on leaves. They scrap out the green matter from the leaves, which give the appearance of papery white structure. The instars larvae feed voraciously, causing defoliation of plants, and thereby, causing considerable losses in yield and quality of greens.
i. Destroy the egg masses and gregarious young larvae.
ii. Pick up the large larvae by hand and kill them.
iii. Spray Malathion (0.05%), Quinalphos (0.04%), Dimethoate (0.03%), Methyl demeton (0.03%), or Ekalux (0.05%), and repeat 10 days after, if required.
iv. Spray neem seed kernel-extract (4%) in early stage of larvae.
v. Use nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (NPV).
III. Pod Borers (Helicoverpa Armigera Hubner):
The pest is found to feed on leaves, flowers, and pods. Eggs are laid on young leaves, which are later damaged by young larvae. The first instars larvae bore the pods and damage them, causing 10-90% losses, if left unprotected.
Similar as suggested for leaf eating caterpillar.
IV. Mites (Petrobia Latens):
In fenugreek, the infestation of mites is seen occasionally. Small mites live in colonies on under surface of leaves. However, when the infestation is serious they cause webbing and feed within the web by sucking plant sap. The insect mostly feeds on young leaves. The severe infestation causes the plants stunted and affects the yield and quality of leaves badly.
i. Spray the crop with 0.025% emulsion of Ethion (50 EC), 0.07% solution of Dicafol (18.6 EC), 0.03% Phosphomidon (85 WSC), or wettable sulfur (2 kg/ha), and repeat 10 days after, if required.
ii. Spray the crop with neem oil (1%).
Note:
The spray of insecticides should be avoided on leafy crop.
6. How to Control Pests of Pumpkin?
I. Fruit Fly (Bactrocera Cucurbitae, B. Tau and B. Diversus):
Among cucurbits, pumpkins are less affected by the fruit fly. This pest causes damage by puncturing tender fruits. Adult fly is reddish brown with lemon yellow markings on thorax. An adult female lays 20-30 cigarette shaped white eggs on both tender and ripe fruits. After hatching, the white maggots start feeding inside the fruits, which causes deformity, rotting and premature dropping of fruits. More than 50% fruits can be damaged partly or fully by fruit fly.
i. Collect and destroy the infested plant parts and fruits.
ii. Behavioral control of flies through methyl euginol (0.5%) baited trap along with insecticides reduces adult population to some extent.
iii. Foliar spray of carbaryl (0.1%) at tender fruit stage (up to 5 days after fertilization) gives good control of fruit fly.
iv. Bait spray with Malathion (50 EC) 20 ml + yeast hydroxylate (10 g) + 20 liter water + 500 g molasses gives effective control of fruit fly.
II. Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora Foveicollis Lucas Syn. Raphidopalpa Foveicollis):
The slightly elongated and orange red colour small beetles are very destructive, particularly in summer season when the plants have only two to four leaves. Pumpkin, bottle gourd, and cucumber are most susceptible to this pest. It causes heavy loss in pumpkin if the plants are attacked in early stage. Female lays 50-70 orange or yellow eggs in cluster into the soil near the base of the plant.
Grubs develop in soil and occasionally feed on roots, causing wilting of plant. The grubs also damage the plants by boring into the stems, and sometimes, into the fruits touching the soil. Adult beetles emerge from soil and feed on cotyledons and foliage, making typical shot holes. Serious damage caused at cotyledon stage results in re-sowing of crops due to destruction of seedlings.
i. Plough the field deep in hot summer months to expose the grubs present in the soil.
ii. Spray carbaryl (Sevin) 0.1-0.2% or Rogor 0.1% two-three times at 10-15 days interval.
iii. Spray 4% methanol extracted neem seed kernel.
III. Mites (Tetranyclius Neocaledonicus Andre):
The damage is caused both by the nymphs and adults. Mite infection causes web formation on the leaves in large number, giving unhealthy appearance. Usually mites feed on the underside of leaves by sucking cell sap. Gradually, the chlorophyll degradation takes place and leaves dry. Infested leaves are small and webbing interferes with plant growth. There is a poor setting of fruits and the yield is considerably reduced. Mite is active from March to October and passes the winter as a gravid female.
i. Foliar spray of 4% NSKE (neem seed kernel extract) at weekly interval effectively reduces the mite population.
ii. Foliar spray of Dicofol 18.5 EC @ 0.05% (2.75 ml/litre) or Vertimac 1.8 SL @ 0.8 ml/litre at 15-20 days interval is an effective control for mites.
iii. Adequate supply of water in summer season and optimum dose of nitrogen results in less effect of mites.
IV. Leaf Miner (Liriomyza Trifolii Burgess):
Leaf miner infestation takes place during month of March-April. The eggs hatch within 2-3 days, and larvae feed between lower and upper epidermis making zigzag tunnels and scrap the chlorophyll and leaf tissues. It makes mines in leaves, especially in mature leaves.
i. Pluck and destroy the severely infested leaves.
ii. Spray Thiomethoxane 25 WG @ 0.3 g/litre of water or Dimethoate (30 EC) @ 1 ml/litre of water.
iii. Foliar spray of NSKE at 4% at weekly interval is also recommended.
V. Pumpkin Caterpillar (Margaronia Indica):
Pumpkin caterpillar, which is long and shiny green with two narrow longitudinal stripes, is a minor pest. Caterpillar pupates in silken cocoons within the folds of leaf. Mature caterpillar damages leaves and fruits making longitudinal bores into them as a result the fruits become unfit for consumption.
i. Foliar spray of 0.05% monocrotophos or endosulfan is effective against this pest.
ii. Spray the crop with Malathion 50 EC (1 ml/litre of water) or Methyl demeton 25 EC (1 ml/ litre of water) also controls the caterpillar effectively.
VI. Aphids (Aphis Gossypii and Myzus Persicae):
The gossypii species of aphid is the most destructive, infesting almost all the cucurbits. It is tiny (1.25 mm long) and yellowish dark green in colour. Nymphs are wingless and greenish to brownish in colour. They colonize on leaves and tender fruits and feed mostly on undersides of tender leaves.
Both nymphs and adults suck cell sap, exuding honeydews and causing crinkling, curling, and yellowing of leaves. Besides, it also acts as vector for the transmission of mosaic viruses. The aphid is most active during spring-summer in northern parts of India. M. persicae also attacks pumpkin but it does not cause much damage, except transmitting virus diseases.
i. Two-three sprays of Dimethoate or Metasystox @ 1.5 ml/litre of water at 10 days interval is effective for the control of aphid.
ii. Spray of oils such as castor, groundnut, and paraffin @ 1-2% is effective against Myzus. persicae.
iii. Foliar spray of NSKE (4%) at weekly interval is also effective.
VII. Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita, M. Hapla and M. Javanica):
The long, slender, and microscopic nematodes attack the root system. Infective larvae enter the roots, form galls, and adversely affect the root system, and consequently, reduce the yield. The leaves due to the attack of nematodes become yellow and get reduced in size, whereas, the severely infected vines get dried and eventually died.
i. Use of marigold as an intercrop is also advantageous to reduce nematode population.
ii. Carbofuran 3G or Aldicarb at 25 kg/ha or Phorate 10 kg a.i./ha may be applied during field preparation to avoid its infestation.
iii. Soil fumigation with DD mixture or Nemagon at 20-25 kg/ha is very effective.
iv. Soil application of neem cake @ 80-100 kg/ha is also advantageous.
7. How to Control Pests of Mustard?
I. Mustard Sawfly (Athalia Proxima):
This is the most destructive pest of mustard particularly at seedling stage. The larvae feed on the young leaves, make holes into the leaves and may eat up the entire lamina of leaf leaving behind the midribs, and in certain years, it completely defoliated the plants in case of serious attack. It appears in the month of October and its peak period of activity is in November. The population disappears suddenly on the onset of winter.
i. Grow resistant variety like Aravali.
ii. Spray the crop with Endosulfan 35 EC @ 1 litre/hectare in 500 litre of water.
II. Painted Bug (Bagrada Cruciferarum):
This insect sucks cell sap from the leaves and tender stems at the time of germination resulting into poor growth showing pale yellow colour of the leaves, and ultimately, the plants dry up. Sometimes, it results into complete failure of the crop in case of severe attack. It appears in October and again in March-April when the maximum temperature is about 30°C.
i. Avoid the sowing of crop too early when the maximum temperature is above 30°C.
ii. Spray the crop with Malathion (Cythion, Melamar, Meltat) 50 EC @ 500 ml/hectare in 500 litre of water in October. If it appears in March, use the double quantity of Malathion and water.
III. Red Hairy Caterpillar (Spilosoma Oblique):
A polyphagous pest causes severe damage to the mustard crop when it appears in epidemic form. The larvae remain in clusters on the lower surface of the leaves and feed on the epidermis. The grown up larvae disperse and feed in isolation. They feed on entire leaf tissues leaving only the midribs, and attack in the month of October-November.
i. Pluck the leaves having larvae in clusters and destroy them.
ii. Spray the crop with 1.25 litre Quinalphos 25 EC, 625 ml Monocrotophos 36 WSC, or 1.25 litre Endosulfan 35 EC in 625 litre of water/hectare.
IV. Mustard Aphid (Lipaphis Erhsimi):
Both nymph and adult suck cell sap of the young leaves, stems, inflorescence and siliquae, resulting into stunted growth of the plant. The affected leaves usually curl, and in case of severe infestation, the plants wilt and dry. Pod formation is adversely affected. It appears when average temperature is 10-20°C and relative humidity around 75% in the end of December to first fortnight of January.
Control:
i. Grow resistant variety like Aravali.
ii. Remove the affected twigs and destroy them.
iii. When crop is raised for mustard greens, spray the crop only with 0.625-1.0 litre Malathion 50 EC dissolved in 625-1000 litre of water /hectare, respectively depending upon growth of the crop. Second spray may be done 7-10 days after first if needed. Spray the crop before the aphid reaches the economic thresh-hold level, i.e., 9-19 aphids/10 cm shoot at 30% plant infestation.
iv. Triazamate resulted in greater aphid mortality through time on mustard greens than did dimethoate.
v. The desired objective of maximum aphid control, good coverage of downward-facing surfaces in the canopy and minimum drift in leafy vegetables including mustard greens was most consistently provided by the hydraulic boom sprayer with hollow cone nozzles on drop pipes directed sideways into the canopy using a pressure of 60 lb/inch2.
V. Leaf Miner (Phytomyza Atricornis):
The larvae feed the leaves by making tunnels into them and cause huge damage to the crop. It attacks the lower leaves in the month of February.
Control:
i. Remove the affected twigs and destroy them.
ii. When crop is raised for mustard greens, spray only with 0.625-1.0 litre Malathion 50 EC dissolved in 625-1000 litre of water/hectare, respectively depending upon growth of the crop. Second spray may be done 7-10 days after first if needed.
Note:
The sprays of insecticides should be done in the afternoon to avoid mortality of the pollinators.
8. How to Control Pests of Baby Corn?
Unlike other vegetable crops baby corn is attacked less by insect-pests and diseases, thus, demands less frequent use of pesticides, but sometimes, many different kind of insects can attack the baby corn under different conditions and cause serious damage.
I. Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda and Pseudaletia Unipuncta Haworth):
Armyworm, a dark green 5 cm long with white stripes on the sides and down the middle of the back, is a serious pest of corn in the early growth stages, attacking and feeding on tender leaves. In late stages, it will destroy the center of the young stalk. It is found hiding under clods or in the center of plant shoot during the day.
Control:
Spray carbaryl 0.2%, Malathion 0.15%, ethyl parathion 0.3%, or methyl parathion 0.3% at weekly interval.
II. Corn Rootworm Larvae (Viabrotica Undecimpunctata):
The larvae that are about 1-2 cm long with yellowish-white and somewhat wrinkled bodies and a brownish-white head, attack the roots, as a result, the plants when they are 20-50 cm tall begin to show the infestation effects. The plants grow very poorly or not at all, lodge after heavy rains and die frequently.
The close examination reveals that the plant roots have been tunneled and eaten off by larvae. Its control is extremely difficult as it lays eggs frequently in the field after corn is well grown.
i. Follow late sowing to minimize vegetation growth.
ii. Apply chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, ethyl parathion, methyl parathion, or carbofuran granules 1.0- 1.5 kg a.i./ha few days after germination.
III. Stalk borer (Papaipema Nebris):
The stalk borer is the major pest of baby corn, attacking at every stage of crop growth. Its caterpillars feed on leaves at early stage, and later, damage the crop by making bore into the stem and ears. Borers that have left the whorl and entered the stalk cannot be controlled. If most have left the whorl, it is too late to attempt control.
i. Utilize all crop-residues in which corn borer can over-winter.
ii. Spray the crop with endosulfan or Lindane @ 0.05% at an interval of 10-12 days.
IV. Corn Leaf Aphids (Rhopalosiplium Maidis Fitch):
These are the tiny insects, which suck cell sap from tender foliage and exude honeydew, the sticky substance, on which the black sooty mould is developed, reducing the photosynthetic activity of the plant and ultimately affecting the yield adversely. The infested plants show stunted growth and sickly black appearance.
Control:
i. Spray the crop with 0.03% Monocrotophos, 0.05% endosulfan, 0.05% Dimecron, Malathion 0.1%, or Dichlorvos at 0.05% at weekly interval.
ii. Apply Phorate or Carbofuran granules @ 1.0-1.5 kg a.i./ha to the soil at the time of sowing.
V. Jassids (Amrasca Biguttulla):
These are whitish-green wedge-shaped small sucking type insects. Their nymphs and adults suck cell sap from tender leaves and inject some toxic material, which leads to upward curling of leaves, and as a result, the leaves become pale yellow. This insect crowds at lower surface of leaves and remains very active in dry weather. They start attacking when the crop is about a foot high and cause serious damage from May to October. Severe infestation causes burning of leaves, which later fall down.
Control:
i. Spray the crop with Sevin 0.2%, Quinalphos 0.5%, Dimethoate, or Phosphomidon 0.04%.
ii. Spray the crop with Ekatox 0.1% or Malathion 0.15% at weekly interval.
iii. Apply Phorate 10G granules @ 1.5kg a.i./ha in nursery few days before transplanting.
Other Insects:
Grasshoppers (Melanoplus spp.), corn earworm (Heliothis zea), thrips (Anaphothrips obscurus), spider mite (Tetranychus urtcae) and European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) that attack the crop at any stage can be controlled by spraying Endosulfan 35 EC (0.05%), Fenvalerate, Cypermethrin, Quinalphos, Monocrotophos (0.04%), Deltamethrin (0.2%), or carbaryl 150 WP (0.2%).
A basal application of Carbofuran 3G @ 10 kg/ha is also recommended as preventive measure to avoid all sucking pests. Spray of Sumicidin 20 EC/Ripcord 10 EC (40 ml) or Decis 2.8 EC (80 ml) mixed in 250 litre of water per hectare is also equally effective to control the pests attacking this crop. Thiodan 4G @ 0.5-1.25 kg per hectare 10 days after sowing can also be applied to control insect-pests in baby corn crop.
9. How to Control Pests of Ivy Gourd?
I. Fruit Fly (Bactrocera Ciliatus Coq.):
Fruit fly is a very serious problem in ivy gourd cultivation. The female flies lay eggs below the epidermis @ 4 to 10 eggs per fruit by puncturing the soft and tender fruits with their stout and hard ovipositor.
Patel and Patel (1998) advocated that smaller sized fruits are preferred over larger ones for oviposition. After hatching, the maggots feed inside the fruits causing rotting. Infested fruits become unsuitable for consumption and drop quickly. In north India, the flies are most active during rainy season in July-August.
i. Grow resistant or early maturing variety.
ii. Collect and bury the infested fruits more than 60 cm deep into the soil.
iii. Use baits containing 6 parts ripe banana pulp + 4 parts protein hydrolysate + 1 part Malathion or Sevin in the field to trap and kill the male population.
iv. Use control measures like poison baiting or bait spray prepared by mixing 20 g Malathion 50% WP with 500 g molasses or gur + 20 g yeast hydrolysate in 2 liters of water.
v. Spray the crop with 0.1% Fenthion or carbaryl three to five times at 10-15 days interval.
II. Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora Foveciollis Lucas):
Red pumpkin beetle, which is widely distributed all over India, is very destructive insect-pest of ivy gourd. It attacks particularly during summer season when the plants have only tender shoots and leaves. Infection is more severe in the plains than in the hills. The female adult beetle lays 50 to 70 orange/yellow eggs in clusters in the soil near the collar of the plant. On hatching, the grubs feed on the leaves and underground portion of the plants. Adult beetles emerge from soil and feed on foliage.
i. Follow cultural practices like clean cultivation and summer deep ploughing after harvesting to expose the grubs to the predators.
ii. Collect and kill the adults manually.
iii. Dust the crop with 5% carbaryl or 4% endosulfan or spray with 0.2% carbaryl or 0.05% Endosulfan at 10-15 days interval.
iv. Spraying neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) at 4%.
III. Aphid (Aphis Gossypii):
Aphid is a major devastating insect pest of ivy gourd. In north India, it is very much active during spring-summer season. Large colonies of nymphs and adults are found on tender leaves, twigs, and shoots. They suck the vital sap from the tender portions of plant. The affected parts turn yellow, get curled, wrinkled, and deformed and ultimately dry, and die away.
Fruit size and quality are also reduced with the severe attacks. The aphids also exude copious quantity of honeydew on which sooty mould develops very fast which in turn hinders the photosynthetic activity of the vines, resulting in stunted growth. It also acts as vector for the transmission of mosaic virus.
i. Clip and destroy the affected shoots and twigs in the initial stage of attack.
ii. Spray Dimetoate, Monocrotophos, or endosulfan @ 0.05% two to three times and repeat after 10 to 12 days to check the pest population effectively.
iii. Spray of NSKE (4%) on foliage at weekly interval.
IV. Stem Gallfly (Lasioptera Falcata):
Stem gallfly is a major pest of ivy gourd. Adult female lays eggs on tender shoots. On hatching, maggots bore inside the distal shoots and feed within the vines.
i. Clip and destroy the affected shoots and twigs in initial stage of attack.
ii. Apply carbofuran @ 1 kg a.i. in the field at the time of transplanting and near root zone of second year crop.
V. Thrips (Scirtothrips Dorsalis):
Thrips are wingless insects, which suck the cell sap from the tender leaves. Severe attack of this insect is expressed as yellowish spots on the leaves, and finally, poor growth and development of plant can be observed.
i. Spray the crop with Monocrotophos (35 EC) @ 1.5 ml/liter of water at the interval of 15- 20 days.
ii. Spray NSKE (4%) on foliage at weekly interval.
VI. Mites (Tetranychus Neocaledonicus Andre):
Mite is also very common insect-pest of ivy gourd. It is very much active from March to October and passes the winter as a gravid female. Mite attack causes web formation on the leaves in large number giving unhealthy appearance. In general, mites feed on the lower side of leaves by sucking cell sap, and gradually, chlorophyll degradation takes place, and ultimately, leaves dry.
i. Maintain adequate moisture in the field during summer.
ii. Reduce the dose of nitrogen to reduce the insect population.
iii. Spray 4% NSKE on foliage at weekly interval to reduce mite’s population.
iv. Spray Dicofol 18.5 EC 0.05% (2.75 ml/litre) or Vertimac 1.8 SL 0.8 ml/litre at 15-20 days interval.
VII. Brown Scale (Coccus Spp.):
Brown scale was recorded for the first time infesting the creeper Coccinia indica in Imphal, Manipur State, India. It had previously been reported only on fruit crops.
The scale insects may be parasitized by Cephaleta brunniventris (33.8% parasitism) and Encyrtus sp. (10.7%) as advocated by Gupta and Verma (1994).
VIII. Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Incognita):
Ivy gourd is severely infected by Root knot nematode. Sometimes, the attack of nematode vanish the crop completely in the regions where weather fluctuation is very high. Its multiplication is very fast in sandy soil. The symptoms are characterized as stunted and unthrifty condition of plant. Plant growth and fruiting ability are reduced drastically. Small round, oblong to irregular gall formation on roots can be observed, if plant is uprooted.
i. Follow proper crop rotation with cereals.
ii. Repeatedly plough the field deep in hot summer months.
iii. Intercrop marigold with ivy gourd to check the nematode population.
iv. Apply neem cake @ 20-25 q/ha at the time of sowing.
v. Apply carbofuran 1-1.5 kg/ha to control the nematode effectively.