Nymphs are light yellowish green or greenish black or brownish.
Adults are mostly wingless but few winged forms also seen. Winged
and wingless forms breed parthenogenetically and hence population build
up is quite fast.
It has 12-14 generations per year.
Nature of damage
Nymphs and adults colonise on the under surface of the young
leaves, shoots and suck the sap resulting in crinkling and curling
of leaves.
Leaves appear shiny and sticky due to honeydew excreted by the insects.
Later sooty mold grow on honey dew and leaves have a black coating.
Ecology
Cool and humid conditions are favourable for multiplication while
heavy rains wash away the aphid colonies.
Economic threshold limit is 15-20% affected plants.
Other hosts
Brinjal, Bhendi, Ginger, Chilly, Guava etc.,
Control
Seed treatment with Imidacloprid (5g/kg seed) keeps the crop free
of sucking pests over a month.
For the control of all sucking pests Paint on stem with a mixture
of Monocrotophos: water (1:4) or Imidacloprad: water (1:20) at 20, 40
and 60 days age of crop.
Treat the seeds with Imidacloprid 70WS (5gm/kg of seed) or Thiamethoxam
70WS (4gm/kg of seed) or Carbosulfan 25SP (50gm/kg of seed) along with
little wetting agent. It protects the crop upto 40 to 50 days against
sucking pests and to avoid or reduce the early season insecticide application.
If seeds are untreated, apply carbofuran @12-14kg per acre or Phorate
@4-5kg per acre nearer to the base of seedling when soil is moist.
Release predator chrysoperla carnea @2000per acre for 2 times at fortnightly
interval.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for aphids on the under side of the leaf during
early morning hours. If 10 aphids/plant (and) or 10-20% of affected
plants (and) or appearance of honeydew on 50% plants are observed initiate
spraying any of the following pesticides with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be opened.
Spray at 10days interval till the pest is controlled.
Mostly seen at seedling stage, some times found almost throughout
the year.
Life History
Nymphs are pale greenish almost translucent and walk diagonally.
Adults are greenish yellow, wedge shaped with a pair of black spots
on vertex and a black spot on each of the forewings.
Female inserts eggs into leaf veins on the underside.
Eggs hatch in 6-10 days and nymphal period is 7-9 days and the winged
adults live for 2-3 weeks.
Completes 7-8 generations in a year.
Nature of damage
Nymphs and adults suck sap usually from the under surface of
the leaves and inject toxins causing curling of leaf edges and
leaves turn red or brown.
The leaves dry up and shed.
Economic threshold; 2-3 Jassids per leaf.
Other hosts
Bhendi, Brinjal, Potato, Hollyhock etc.,
Control
Use jassid tolerant varieties like L. 604, LRA 5166, L 603,
Savitha, Narasimha (NA 1325), NHH 44, H 8, NHH 390 and Lam Hybrid.
Spraying with any systemic insecticide.
Seed treatment with imidacloprid or carbosulfan protects the
crop from all sucking pests including Jassids for about a month.
Stem application with monocrotophos protects the crop from
all sucking pests including Jassids for about a month.
Treat the seeds with Imidacloprid 70WS (5gm/kg of seed) or Thiamethoxam
70WS (4gm/kg of seed) or Carbosulfan 25SP (50gm/kg of seed) along with
little wetting agent. It protects the crop upto 40 to 50 days against
sucking pests and to avoid or reduce the early season insecticide application.
If seeds are untreated, apply carbofuran @12-14kg per acre or Phorate
@4-5kg per acre nearer to the base of seedling when soil is moist.
Release predator chrysoperla carnea @2000per acre for 2 times at fortnightly
interval.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for aphids on the under side of the leaf during
early morning hours. If 10 aphids/plant (and) or 10-20% of affected
plants (and) or appearance of honeydew on 50% plants are observed initiate
spraying any of the following pesticides with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be opened.
Spray at 10days interval till the pest is controlled.
Starting from seedling stage occurs at all stages of crop growth.
Life history
Both nymphs and adults lacerate and feed the sap from under surface
of leaves and imbibe the oozing sap. Leaves loose the natural lustre
the upper side of leaf turn brown and lower side becomes silvery white.
Each female lay 60-70 eggs single into the green plant tissue 4-6
per day. Eggs hatch in 5 days. The nymphal period last for 5 days, pupal
period for 4-5 days. Several generations found in a year.
·Economic threshold: 10 thrips/leaf.
Nature of damage
Both nymphal and adults lacerate leaf surface and feed on plant
sap. It causes leaf curl. Upper side of the older leaves turns
brown and the lower side becomes silvery white.
Ecology
High temperature with low rainfall favours multiplication.
Insecticides effective against aphids and Jassids are also effective
against thrips.
Other hosts
Onion, Garlic, Tobacco etc.,
Control
Treat the seeds with Imidacloprid 70WS (5gm/kg of seed) or Thiamethoxam
70WS (4gm/kg of seed) or Carbosulfan 25SP (50gm/kg of seed) along with
little wetting agent. It protects the crop upto 40 to 50 days against
sucking pests and to avoid or reduce the early season insecticide application.
If seeds are untreated, apply carbofuran @12-14kg per acre or Phorate
@4-5kg per acre nearer to the base of seedling when soil is moist.
Release predator chrysoperla carnea @2000per acre for 2 times at fortnightly
interval.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for aphids on the under side of the leaf during
early morning hours. If 10 aphids/plant (and) or 10-20% of affected
plants (and) or appearance of honeydew on 50% plants are observed initiate
spraying any of the following pesticides with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be opened.
Spray at 10days interval till the pest is controlled.
Most active from August to November with 4-6 generations in
a year.
American cottons are more susceptible over indigenous cottons
Widely distributed pest.
Damage starts when the crop is in the mid stage and continues till
end.
Life cycle
Female lays whitish, flat eggs single on the underside of young leaves,
shoots, flowers buds and on young green bolls.
Egg stage ranges from 4-25 days, larval stage lasts for 8-41days.
On emergence they are white, turn pink later.
Pupation occurs in fallen bolls and debris.
Within a week the moths emerge and starts laying eggs.
The larvae of last generation hibernate and responsible for the infestation
of the following crop.
Nature of damage
Affected flowers do not open fully and show characteristic
rosetting.
Such flower buds are shed.
At boll stage the larval enters the boll when it is in early
instar and remains inside feeding on immature seed and developing
lint.
Bolls open immaturely.
Economic threshold - 5-10% incidence level in retained and shed fruiting
bodies.
Control
Remove and destroy crop resides.
Crushing of cotton seeds should be completed by the end of April
in North Zone.
Otherwise fumigate the seeds by the end of May.
Staking the cotton stalks away from cotton field in open.
Acid delinting treatment should be followed before sowing @
one litre commercial sulphuric acid for 10 kg seed.
Use of trap crops like (OKRA) bhendi.
Do not extend the normal crop period and avoid ratooning.
Grazing by animals after last picking is recommended for checking
the carry over population of pink bollworm.
Install pink bollworm pheromone traps.
Soaking of seeds in water before souring to which either Monocrotophos
or Dichlorovas is added is also recommended.
Erect Light trap @1per 5 acre or pheromone traps @2per acre at a
height of 0.3 meter from crop canopy. Monitor the emergence of moth
and catching 8-10 moths/night/trap for 4 consecutive nights gives a
prediction of egg laying in the next 10-15 days to synchronize insecticide
application against vulnerable stage of early instar larvae.
Release of egg parasite Trichogramma chilonis @60,000 per acre or
chrisopa larvae @10,000 per acre for 3-4 times.
Plant Trap crops (Marigold or Okra or Pigeon pea) @100plants at random
to divert oviposition from main crop.
Erect bird perches to encourage predation by insectivorous Birds.
Adopt Hand picking of eggs and grown up larvae to eliminate the possible
development of resistance. It also helps to minimise heave build up
of future pest population.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for Pink bollworm on a whole plant during early
morning hours. If when Bolls with Live larvae 5/10 plants (and) or 10%
of flowers are infested initiate spraying any of the following insecticide
with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be
repeated. Spray at 10 days interval till the pest is controlled.
The female moth lays shining, cream, colored eggs singly on tender
parts of the plant.
Each moth lays 730-3000 eggs.
The eggs hatch in 4 days.
The larvae become full-grown in 17-20 days.
Pupation takes place in soil for 10-13 days.
There may be as many as 7-8 generation/year.
Nature of damage
The larva damages by boring into squares, flowers and bolls
and feeds on inner contents, while feeding it thrusts it head
inside the square/boll leaving the rest of its body outside.
The entry hole is large and circular.
8-9 moths per pheromone trap/day, or 5 eggs/10 plants or 1
larva/plant or 5-10% infested fruiting bodies.
Other hosts
Field bean, Sunflower, Tomato, Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Mungbean, Urdbean,
Sorghum.
Control methods
Cultural methods
Recommended doses of fertilizers should be applied.
Sow 3-4 lines of maize (or) Jowar around the cotton crop to
monitor the moth.
Sow trap crops like marigold at 50 plants/acre along with cotton.
Inter crops like, Green gram, Black gram, Groundnut, Soybean
should be sown.
Clipping of terminal shoots on 100 days of crop growth.
Physical methods
Collection & destruction of eggs on trap crop as well as main crop.
Collection & destruction of larvae on trap crop as well as main crop.
Mechanical Methods
Use of pheromone traps (4 traps/acre) for pest intensity identification
as well as to trap the male moths.
Arrange 10-bird perches/acre.
Setting of light traps (1 light trap/5 acre) to know the range
of pest incidence as well as to kill moth population
Biological control methods
Trichograma pretiosum attacks on eggs of Heliothis.
Release Trichogramma parasites @ (20,000/acre)
Eucelatoria byrani; Carcelia illota attacks on larvae of Heliothis.
Bacillus thuringenisis (soil bacteria)
NPV (virus)
Beauveria bassiana (fungi)
Nomuraea rileyi (fungi)
NPV: NPV 200 LE + ˝ kg Jaggery + 200ml Sandovit (or) Teepal; mixing
and spray in the evening hours only;
NPV is more effective in cloudy weather.
Bio-pesticides
Spraying 5% Neem oil before egg laying.
5 kg Neem Kernal extract /acre. Add any sticky material to spray
mixture.
Use of Bt-cotton varieties.
Chemical Control
Growing of BT Cotton
Erect Light trap @1per 5 acre or pheromone traps @2per acre at a height
of 0.3meter from crop canopy. Monitor the emergence of moth and catching
8-10 moths/night/trap for 4 consecutive nights gives a prediction of
egg laying in the next 5-8 days to synchronize insecticide application
against vulnerable stage of early instar larvae.
Release of egg parasite Trichogramma chilonis @60,000 per acre or
chrisopa larvae @10,000 per acre for 3-4 times.
Plant Trap crops (Marigold or Okra or Pigeon pea) @100plants at random
to divert oviposition from main crop.
Remove terminal of cotton crop (topping) at 80-90 days of growth to
reduce Helicoverpa oviposition.
Erect bird perches (T-shaped Bamboo pegs) @15-20 per acre at random
to encourage predation by insectivorous Birds.
Spray NPV @100LE/acre with 1/2 kg jaggery and 200ml of wetting agent
during evening hours against early instars of larvae for maximum effectiveness.
Adopt Hand picking of eggs and grown up larvae to eliminate the possible
development of resistance. It also helps to minimise heave build up
of future pest population.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for Heliothis on a whole plant during early
morning hours. If when 2eggs for plant (and) or 5 larvae/10 plants (and)
or 10% of fruiting bodies infestation are observed initiate spraying
any of the following insecticide with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be
repeated. Spray at 10 days interval till the pest is controlled.
The moths lay 200-400 eggs single on flower buds, branches
and young leaves.
Hairy part of plant is preferred for egg laying.
The egg period ranges from 3-4 days.
The larval stage is completed in about 10-16 days.
The pupation occurs either on plants or in the fallen leaves. Pupal
period lasts for 4-9days.
Adult stageremains for 8-22 days. Several overlapping generations
are found in a year.
Caterpillars are brownish white with a number of brown and milky
white markings.
Nature of damage
Larva bores into terminal shoots of young plants leading death
of the shoots and subsequent development of side shoots and branches.
Larva also bores into the flower buds flowers, locules and bolls.
Infected parts will shed. Entrance hole is plugged with excreta.
Squares draw flaring up symptoms and drop.
Economic threshold limit is 5-10% incidence level.
Other hosts
Cotton, Okra, Hollyhock and other Malvaceous plants.
Control
Erect Light trap @1per 5 acre or pheromone traps @2per acre at a height
of 0.3meter from crop canopy. Monitor the emergence of moth and catching
1 moth/night/trap for 3 consecutive nights gives a prediction of egg
laying in the next 3-5days to synchronize insecticide against vulnerable
stage of early instar larvae.
Release of egg parasite Trichogramma chilonis @60,000 per acre or
chrisopa larvae @10,000 per acre for 3-4 times.
Plant Trap crops (Marigold or Okra or Pigeon pea) @100plants at random
to divert oviposition from main crop.
Erect bird perches (T-shaped Bamboo pegs) @15-20 per acre at random
to encourage predation by insectivorous Birds.
Adopt Hand picking of eggs and grown up larvae to eliminate the possible
development of resistance. It also helps to minimise heavy build up
of future pest population.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for Spotted bollworm on a whole plant during
early morning hours. If when 5 larvae/10 ploants (and) or 10% of fruiting
bodies infestation are observed initiate spraying any of the following
insecticide with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be
repeated. Spray at 10 days interval till the pest is controlled.
Moth lays eggs on the underside of leaves in masses (100-300) and
covered with brown hair. Each female lays 1000-2000 eggs. Eggs hatch
in 3-5 days. Larval stage completed in 28 days. Pupation takes place
in the soil and pupal period lasts for about 9 days. Longivity of adults
is 9-10 days. Has 6-8 generations/year.
Nature of damage
Soon after hatching, early instar larva feed gregariously by
scraping the chlorophyll of Lamina leading to skeletonization.
Later they disperse, become solitary and nocturnal. Also feed
on the flower buds, flowers, calyx, squares and bolls.
Economic threshold: 5-10% incidence level in retained and shed fruiting
bodies.
Other hosts
Cotton, Tobacco, Castor, Chillies, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Groundnut,
Black gram, Green gram etc.,
Control
If eight egg masses observed per 100 m row of crop-spray 5% Neem
Kernal extract preferably in the evening.
Use of Pheromone traps (4 traps/acre) for pest intensity identification
as well as to trap the mail moths.
Spray Chloriphyriphos or Endosulphan or Quinalphos @ 2 ml/l
of water. Add and mix one liter of Monocrotophos or one kg of
Carbaryl and 1 kg of Jaggery with 10 kg of rice bran. Mix with
water and made into small balls and keep the balls at each plant.
Erect Light trap @1per 5 acre or pheromone traps @2per acre at a height
of 0.3meter from crop canopy. Monitor the emergence of moth and catching
1 moth/night/trap for 3 consecutive nights gives a prediction of egg
laying in the next 3-5days to synchronize insecticide against vulnerable
stage of early instar larvae.
Release of egg parasite Trichogramma chilonis @60,000 per acre or
chrisopa larvae @10,000 per acre for 3-4 times.
Plant Trap crops (Marigold or Okra or Pigeon pea) @100plants at random
to divert oviposition from main crop.
Erect bird perches (T-shaped Bamboo pegs) @15-20 per acre at random
to encourage predation by insectivorous Birds.
Broadcast pelleted form of Chloripyriphos 500ml/acre to Thiodicarb
250gm/acre with 2kg jaggery and 10kg of Paddy husk during evening hours
for maximum effectiveness.
Adopt Hand picking of eggs and grown up larvae to eliminate the possible
development of resistance. It also helps to minimise heavy build up
of future pest population.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for Spodoptera on a whole plant during early
morning hours. If when 5 larvae/10 plants (and) or 10% of fruiting bodies
infestation are observed initiate spraying any of the following insecticide
with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be
repeated. Spray at 10 days interval till the pest is controlled.
Each female lays 100-200 eggs over a period of 3 weeks.
The eggs hatch in 4-7 days time and forms a larva which lasts
for 3-4 days.
The nymphal period is 3-4 days and become adult.
Number of generations 20 per year.
Nature of damage
Mites puncture the leaves from under surface and feed on the
sap.
Later, the upper surface of the leaves turn red and finally
the leaves wither and are shed.
Economic threshold: 10 per sq.m.
Other hosts
Brinjal.
Control Measures
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently
during higher pest infestation) for Mites on the under side of the leaf
during early morning hours. If 10 mites per square Cm is observed initiate
spraying any of the following miticide with optimum quantity of water.
Highly Polyphagous generally appears from November
to February.
Life cycle
The insect breeds throughout the year and the female
lays stalked yellow spindle shaped eggs singly on the lower surface of
the leaf. Eggs hatch in about a week's time. The nymphal stage remains
attached on the lower side of leaves and takes about 4 weeks to complete
development. Number of generations varies between 12-15 per year.
Nymphs are oval, scale like and remain attached to the
leaf surface. Adults are tiny, moth like with yellowish body and wings
coated with milky white waxy powder.
Nature of damage
Nymphs and adults suck the sap usually from the
under surface of the leaves and excrete honeydew causing contamination
of the lint.
Leaves appear sickly and get coated with sooty
mold.
Stunted plant growth, shedding of fruit bodies, bad
boll opening and poor quality of lint.
It also transmits the leaf curl virus.
Ecology
Temperatures around 30°C with high humidity favours
multiplication of pest.
Economic threshold: 8-10 adults or 20 nymphs/leaf.
Whiteflies can be effectively
attracted and controlled by yellow sticky traps, which are coated
with grease/sticky oily materials.
Use Whitefly tolerant varieties such as LPS 141 (Kanchana),
LK 861, NA 1280.
Spray Trizophos (2.5 ml/l) or Prophanophos (2 ml/l).
Spraying of any Neem product (5% Neem oil before egg laying) or 5
kg Neem Kernal extract per acre with any sticky material.
Use of Synthetic pyrithroids increases the intensity of Whitefly.
Other Measures are as follows
Growing of tolerant varieties.
Errecting yellow empty tins, which is smeared with grease/sticky oil
material in the field. Wipe out trapped Whiteflies everyday and apply
grease again.
Scouting should be done at least twice a week (more frequently during
higher pest infestation) for Whiteflies on a whole plant during early
morning hours. If 8-10 adults per leaf before 10a.m or 10-20 nymphs
per leaf are observed initiate spraying any of the following insecticide
with optimum quantity of water.
One chemical at a time to be sprayed. Same chemical should not be
repeated. Spray at 10 days interval till the pest is controlled.
Detailed Study of Insects
nd
covered with brown hair. Each female lays 1000-2000 eggs. Eggs hatch
in 3-5 days. Larval stage completed in 28 days. Pupation takes place
in the soil and pupal period lasts for about 9 days. Longivity of adults
is 9-10 days. Has 6-8 generations/year. 
