• Insect pests cause severe losses to groundnut and are recognized as one of the major constraints in groundnut production. Although more than 90 species of insect pests attack groundnut crop, only a few are economically important over large areas.
• Pests are dynamic and their status change rapidly. Due to rapid increase in the area under groundnut cultivation, particularly under irrigated conditions with improved methods of cultivation, insects such as gram caterpillar, tobacco caterpillar, jassids and mites, which were minor pests in the past have now become important in certain areas.
• For the effective control of insect pests, bionomics of pests needs to be investigated not only on groundnut crop but also on several other crops because many pests of groundnut are polyphagous and their abundance on groundnut may well depend upon the alternate crop hosts.
• High cost of pesticides and appliances and large quantities of water required for spray applications are the major limitations on pesticide use by subsistence farmers especially under rainfed conditions.
• Other means of control such as cultural practices, mixed or intercropping, biological control and host plant resistance will be useful to develop an integrated pest management.
  

Earwigs [Anisolabis annulipes (Luc.)] bore into the tender pods and feed on kernels. The holes are plugged with excreta, sand particles and discoloured pulp. It is difficult to separate out damage caused by earwig from that caused by wire-worms and termites and more often the damage by these insects is attributed to earwig-pest. The semi-spreading and spreading varieties are found more susceptible than the bunch varieties

• Earwigs generally feed on vegetable matter.The females lay eggs 10 - 23 days after pairing. The pearly white eggs are laid in clusters,which hatch in 7-11 days. Nymphs pass through 5 instars and adults live up to 252 days.
• Cabbage, cotton bolls and sorghum stems are found infested with them.

• Apply @ 25 kg /ha either malathion 5% dust or endosulfan 4% D to soil prior to sowing in areas where the earwig is endemic. Repeat soil application of any one of the above formulations on 40-45 DAS and incorporate in the soil during the earthing up operation.
  

Gram caterpillar or boll worm (Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a major pest of cotton and vegetables and it causes moderate damage to the groundnut crop in recent years. This species is widely distributed throughout India.

The damage caused by the larvae to foliage is similar to that caused by the tobacco and hairy caterpillars but it prefers to feed on flowers and buds. Young larvae enter leaf bud by making a pin-hole. These pin-holes form mirror images on the expanded leaf.

• The larvae feed on flowers by preference and also on foliage, when full grown, they leave the plant, burrow into the soil to a depth of 2-18 cm and pupate. Severe infestation leads to complete defoliation leaving only the stems and branches in the field.

• This pest completes 4 generations in a year. Moths emerge from pupae in the evening hours and not during daytime. The peak mating activity is at early morning. The fecundity usually high ranging from 480 to 1600 eggs with a mean of 730 eggs/female. * Eggs are yellowish-white, dome-shaped and have longitudinal ribs. The eggs are laid in leaf buds of groundnut and hatch in 2-5 days.
• Larvae after passing through 6 instars become full-grown and are 35-42 mm long, pale-green in colour and have one distinct longitudinal stripe on each side and one line on the dorsal side. The colour of larval body is usually variable and they pupate in soil.
• The pupae are 14-18 mm long and smooth surfaced. Pupal period is 5-8 days. * Adult is a stout bodied moth, 18-19m m long with a wing expanse of 40 mm. Fore-wings are pale-brown with a series of marginal dots, black kidney-shaped mark present on the underside of fore-wings.
• Combined incidence of both Helicoverpa and Spodoptera is observed in all the seasons in certain pockets particularly in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. The incidence is further aggrevated when groundnut was intercropped with cotton.
• This has been reported in as many as 96 crop plants and 61 weed species. However, the crops like pigeonpea, field-bean, chickpea, tomato and cotton are preferred hosts.

• Ten per cent leaf damage is considered as economic threshold level.

• Grow sunflower as border or intercrop in groundnut fields to serve as indicator or trap crop for Helicoverpa.
• Destroy weed host, Gynandropsis pentaphylla, which serves as alternative hosts for the Helicoverpa to lay its eggs.
• Monitor the emergence of adult moths by setting up light trap or pheromone traps (5 per ac).
• Avoid monocropping
• Optimising the use of nitrogenous fertilizers which will not favour the multiplication of pest.
• Avoid migration of larvae by digging a trench 30 cm deep and 25 cm wide with perpendicular sides around the infested fields.
• Prepare bait with the following materials to cover one hectare. Rice bran 12.5 kg, molasses or brown sugar 2.5 kg and carbaryl 50 WP 1.25 kg. Mix the ingredients to obtain a homogeneous mixture, sprinkle water gradually and bring the bait to a dough consistency. Distribute the above bait on the soil, around the field and inside in the evening hours immediately after preparation.
• Application of nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) @ 250 LE/ha with crude sugar 2.5 kg/ha in the evening hours is as effective as that of insecticide spray.
• Crop rotation with sorghum, maize, cumbu and sugarcane may be tried to minimize the infestation.
• Release Trichogramma egg parasitoids @ 7.5 cc/ha.
  

• Apply any one of the following insecticides to control early instar (Ist to 3rd instar) larvae.

Carbaryl 10 D- 25 kg/ha;

Carbaryl 50WP - 2.0 kg/ha;

Quinalphos 20 EC- 750 ml/ha;

Dichlorvos 76 WSC – 750 ml/ha;

Endosulfan 35 EC - 1.0 lit/ha.

• Spray any one of the following insecticides per ha to control 4th to 6th instar larvae.

Chlorpyriphos 20 EC - 2.0 lit;

Dichlorovos 76 WSC 1.0 lit;

Phenthoate 50 EC - 2.0 lit.

R- Rainfed; I- Irrigated

• Leaf miner (Aproaerema modicella Deventer) was endemic to south India but now it appears to be pest of economic importance in Maharastra and Gujarat also.

• Initially, small blister-like mines are seen on the upper surface of leaf near the midrib. As the feeding advances, mines increase in size and the entire leaflet becomes brown and it rolls, shrivels and dries up. Severely infected plants may die and the affected crop gives a burnt appearance.
  

• The adult lays white, shiny and beautiful sculptured 0.5-0.8 mm long eggs singly on groundnut leaflets and shoots. The eggs hatch in 2-3 days.
• The young caterpillar is creamy-yellow with a dark-brown head. The caterpillars mine the leaflets near the midribs and proceed towards the margins by feeding on the green tissues in between the epidermal layers.
• After a week, the caterpillars emerge from the mines, fold a leaflet or web together two or more leaflets and continue to feed on the green tissues.
• The caterpillars moult thrice. The larval period lasts for 9-17 days. The caterpillars grow to about 6-8 mm long and are moderately stout, pale-greenish or brownish with a black head and prothoracic shield. The cuticle is smooth except for a few scattered short bristly - hairs which arise from minute blackish chitinous warts.
• The pupal period varies from 3-7 days. Moths are small, 8-10 mm in length and greyish. The adults live for 5-20 days. The total life cycle from egg to adult is completed in 15-28 days.
• The insect completes 3-6 generations during the rainy season and 3-4 generations in the post rainy season.
• The insect is capable of breeding throughout the year. The rainfed crops suffer more in July to August and the irrigated crop during February to May.
• Dry weather, bright sunshine and occasional rains encourage population build up whereas heavy and persistent rains and high humidity reduce the population of this insect.
• This pest has a restricted host range of legumes. Groundnut and soybean are principal crop hosts.

• The chemical control measures may be taken when the pest crosses economic threshold level of 1 larva per 1 meter row.
  

• Early sowing (before 15th of July) in rainfed groundnut reduces the incidence.
• Use light traps for monitoring the pest incidence.
• Setting up of pheromone traps.
• Weed free crop reduces leaf miner incidence.
• Leaf miner prefers soybean for its early occurrence. This can be watched on soybean and first generation larvae can be collected and destroyed.
• Grow pearlmillet or lablab as an intercrop in groundnut (1:4 ratio)
• Mulching with a straw of pearlmillet or other crops in dry lands helps to reduce leaf miner incidence.
  Regulate irrigation in the growth period so as to avoid drought stress, which increases pest incidence (or) spray water one or two times, which will minimises the pest population.
• Spray neem seed kernel extract (15 kg/ha) or neem oil (15 lit/ha) or neem leaf extract (25 kg/ha).
• Spray any one of the following insecticides

Monocrotophos 36 WSC - 750 ml/ha;

Dichlorvos 76 WSC - 625 ml/ha;

Phosalone 4% Dust – 25 kg/ha ;

Endosulfan4% Dust – 25 kg/ha

Among the several species of hairy caterpillars, Amsacta albistriga Walk. is found in southern India and A. moori Butler, in the northern states. The attack of A. albistriga is now sporadic in some areas; in certain years it can become serious and cause heavy losses. Reappearance of the pest was noticed recently after a long gap in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu.

Young larvae feed gregariously on the under surface of the leaves by scraping them. This feeding continues for 4-5 days and the dried scraped-patch of the leaves can be easily detected. As larvae grow they disperse and feed individually by devouring leaves, flowers and growing points. When a large number of caterpillars infest the crop, only the base stems of the plants remain resulting in heavy and occasionally a total yield loss.

• Moths emerge from pupae present in the soil after the onset of heavy rains, usually after the second day of such rains. The eggs are laid in clusters and each cluster contains over 40 eggs and occasionally up to 880 cream coloured eggs.
• The eggs are laid on the available host plants, hedges, weeds or even clods of earth. After 3-4 days, small larvae come out and feed gregariously.
• When the crop emerges larvae move enmasse on to them. The grown up larvae feed individually and are ash-brown in colour. The full-grown larvae after 20-31 days assume reddish colour. Their hairiness makes them conspicuous especially the larger ones are up to 5 cm long.
• Pupation takes place in soil at a depth of 10-20 cm under trees, hedges, shady places or bunds. The pupae remain in soil in diapause stage till the next monsoon.
• There is only one generation in a year. The mass emergence of moths is well synchronized with rains, occurring in June-July in Vellore, Salem districts, in May in Pollachi region and in August to October in Madurai and Ramanathapuram areas.
• It is a polyphagous insect, the other host species are ragi, cowpea, castor, sorghum, cotton, pearlmillet, maize, soybean, horsegram, blackgram, greengram, cluster bean, pigeonpea, sesame, jute, sunnhemp and several other weeds.

• The ETL for the pest is fixed as 8 egg masses/100 m of crop length or 10% leaf damage.

• Deep summer ploughing helps to destroy the pupae in the soil.
• Set up 3 to 4 light traps immediately after receipt of rains, after sowing in the rainfed season to attract and kill the moths and also to know the brood emergence.
• Burning of trashes between 10.00 p.m. to 1.00 a.m. a day immediately after the monsoon showers found to attract large number of RHC moths and got killed in the fine.
  

• Collect gregarious, early instar larvae on lace-like leaves of groundnut and in intercrops such as redgram and cowpea. Cowpea serves as an indicator crop for early monitoring of red hairy caterpillar.
• Leaves of Calotropis can be placed in fields to attract the larvae and destroy them. These larvae are immersed in cow dung slurry for killing (5 kg of cow dung dissolved in 20 lit of water).
• Formation of trenches 45 x 15 cm all round the field and filling them with Calotropis leaves found to trap the migratory larvae in large numbers and they can be killed either by using insecticides or fire or by crushing.
• Collect pupae of Amsacta from field bunds and shady places and destroy them on receipt of summer showers.
• Grow cowpea or lablab in groundnut as intercrop (4:1 ratio)
  

• Grow castor, redgram and cowpea as trap crop to attract the moths for laying eggs. These egg masses are to be collected and destroyed.
• Place poisoned food in the field as in the control of Spodoptera.
• Any one of the following insecticides can be applied to control early instar larvae.
  

Dichlorvos 76 WSC - 625 ml/ha;

Quinalphos 25 EC - 750 ml/ha;

Fenitrothion 50 EC - 750 ml/ha;

Chlorpyriphos 20 EC - 1250 ml/ha.

• For the control of late instar larvae, spraying of insecticides will not be effective. Instead, mechanical control, NPV spray, poisoned food, etc. may be tried to manage the pest.

• Among the various species of jassids that infest groundnut, Empoasca kerri Pruthi is the dominant species. This insect was a minor pest in the past, but has become a major pest in recent years. The incidence is noticed in almost all the seasons.

Both adults and nymphs suck sap from young leaves mainly from the under surface. The initial injury to groundnut appears on young leaves, veins become white. The affected leaves of young plant wilt and in older plants wilting is rare. In severe cases of infestation a `V' shaped yellowing on the tips of the leaflets is observed, which may spread and the entire leaflet may become yellow. Groundnut when infested with jassids look yellow compared with unaffected crops.

• The groundnut jassid is a yellowish-green insect measuring about 3 mm in length. Males are slightly smaller and greener than females.
• The eggs are inserted into the leaf tissue mainly near the midrib and veins from the under surface of the leaves. They are broad and rounded at one end and gradually taper towards the other end. The egg period is 7-10 days and the nymphal period is 7-14 days.
• The jassid infestation is negligible during the hot summer months from April to June. It increases gradually from the first week of July to reach a maximum in early September. From October to April, the population remained at a low level except for a slight increase during the early part of December. The population was much smaller in winter than in rainy season.
• This pest has also been reported on castor, clusterbean, maize, soybean, greengram, blackgram, cowpea and pigeonpea.

A loss of 9% in pod yield and 18% in haulm weight was attributed to jassids.

ETL

Spraying of insecticides is to be taken up if more than 10 % of the leaves have the characteristic "hopper burn" symptoms.

• Intercropping of groundnut with lablab (4:1 ratio) generally reduces the number of jassids on groundnut.
• High degree in resistance to jassids is observed in groundnut genotypes with hairy leaves. Higher densities of hairs hinder feeding of young nymphs. In addition to hairyness, the resistant genotypes had thick leaves.
• Among the wild species, A.glabrata, A.macedoi, A.villosa, A.stenosperma and A.batizocoi are found to be highly resistant to jassids.
• Spraying any one of the following systemic insecticides controls the pest population.

Monocrotophos 36 WSC - 750 ml/ha;

Phosphamidon 85 WSC – 375 ml/ha;

Dimethoate – 1000 ml/ha.

Groundnut aphid

• Aphis craccivora Koch. is a sporadic pest of groundnut in India.
  

• Both adults and nymphs feed mostly on growing tips and young foliage by sucking the sap. Under heavy infestation, the plant becomes chlorotic and leaves curl. It also infests flowers and pegs.

• The nymphs of aphids pass through 4 moults before becoming adult and the duration of each instar is usually 1-2 days.
• The aphids remain active throughout the year and peak incidence occur during drought periods. The infestation by the aphids is relatively higher in rabi compared to kharif crop.
• Several crop plants like redgram, bengalgram, soybean, lucerne, blackgram, greengram, peas, sesbania and several weeds have been reported as hosts to this pest.
  

• It is estimated that this pest alone can reduce yield by about 40%.

• Parasites and predators especially coccinellids reduce the population of aphids considerably.
• If the terminal buds are infested in the young crop, spray dimethoate @ 1 lit/ ha on 30 DAS. Release of aphid lion, Chrysoperla carnea grubs @ 5000/ha.
  

• Yellow sticky traps can be placed at random in 25 to 30 places/ha to attract the pests.
• Intercropping of cowpea in groundnut attracts the sucking pests.
• Planting of maize as border crop, helps for the multiplication of predator, coccinellids.
• Release of Chrysopha @ 2500/ha reduces the population of sucking pests in the groundnut field.
• Spraying of neem seed kernel extract (3%) controls the pest incidence. (Soak 15 kg of dried and powdered neem seed kernels in 15 lit of water overnight. This is filtered through muslin cloth and the supernatant is made up to 500 lit of spray fluid. This spray fluid is used for spraying one hectare).
• Release of coccinellid beetles @ 2500/ha.
• Release of egg parasitoid, Trichogramma @ 7.5 cc/ha.
• Spray any one of the following chemicals.

Monocrotophos 36 WSC - 750 ml/ha;

Dichlorvos 76 WSC -625 ml/ha;

Phosphamidon 85 WSC - 375 ml/ha

• Several species of thrips infest groundnut, the major pests being Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, Caliothrips indicus (Bagnall) and Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom).

• This species is well distributed throughout India. The losses depend upon the degree of infestation, age of the crop, variety and weather conditions.

The nymphs and adults of the species feed on the terminal portion of groundnut plant mainly inhabiting the unopened leaves. They scrap the leaf surface and suck the oozing sap. The injury results in the development of dull yellowish-green patches on the upper surface and brown necrotic areas on the lower side. Under heavy infestation the young leaves curl. The prolonged and heavy infestation may result in stunting of plants. Usually bunch varieties, larger canopy and yellowish-green foliage are highly affected. Dwarf and sickly plants are less attractive.

• Adults are less than 0.75 mm long and yellowish. When at rest, the wings are folded over the abdomen and form a dark line with five transverse dark-brown thin bands on the dorsum of abdomen. The wings are slender and forewings have a few setae.
• Thrips lay eggs inside the leaf tissue, entering from the lower surface. The eggs are small, kidney shaped, 0.075 mm long and 0.030 mm broad. They hatch in 6-9 days. The nymphs pass through 2 larval instars of 2-3 days each, and complete pre-pupal stage and pupal instars in 2-3 days. Pupation occurs on plant at sheltered places such as spider webs, leaf mines and webbed leaves.
• Mating takes place soon after the adults emerge from pupae. An individual female lays about 30-40 eggs in a life span of 15-23 days.
• These thrips are active throughout the year. Their population is highest from July to September and February to March.
• The crops like drumstick, grapevine, tea, acacia, cashew, citrus, jamun, tamarind, greengram, blackgram, chillies, soybean, tomato, pea, potato, sunhemp, horsegram, mango, sunflower, cotton and several weeds and ornamental plants have been reported as hosts for S.dorsalis.

• An estimated loss of 17% in pod yield and 30% in haulm yield was observed due to this species.
  

• This species is distributed throughout India and is a serious problem particularly during dry weather.
  

• The thrips feed on the upper surface of groundnut leaves. The lower leaves of the plants are the preferred feeding sites. The injury results in small white spots and patches on the leaf surface intermingled with black excreta.
• Under dry conditions and heavy infestations, the leaves become dry and plants become stunted. The thrips are easily washed away by rains because they inhabit the upper leaf surface and are rarely a pest in higher rainfall periods.

• On groundnut, eggs are inserted inside the leaf tisue from the upper surface, which hatch in 7-10 days.
• The first larval instar completes in 2-4 days and the second in 3-5 days and pre-pupal and pupal instar complete in 3-5 days.
• Population of this insect on groundnut are highest in June and July and the breeding continues in August and September if dry weather prevails. Another peak activity occurs during March and April. Very low populations occur from December to February.
• Potato, cabbage, cauliflower, knolkhol, chillies, brinjal, onion, wheat, cotton, pea, linseed, fennel, sunnhemp, daincha, blackgram, greengram, sorghum, pigeonpea, bengalgram, tomato and lucerne are reported as host plants.
  

• The adults and nymphs feed on young leaves and buds of groundnut causing scars on the upper surface. The insects mostly inhabit the young leaves and flowers, the nymphs prefer leaf buds.
• This species is more harmful as a vector of tomato spotted wilt virus that causes diseases of economic importance in several crops including groundnut.

• The adults are yellowish-white, 0.9-1.0 mm long. The fore- wings bear 2 rows of continuous setae and 3 pairs of long setae on the second and third segments of the vortex of the thorax. The females insert eggs inside the leaf tissue.
• The eggs hatch in 6-8 days. First larval instar completed in 2-4 days and the second in 3-4 days. The pre-pupal stage completes in 1-2 days and the pupal instar lasts for 2-5 days.
• The thrips disperse throughout the year mainly by prevailing winds. The population was less in March to June and generally increased to reach peak in late August and September, when most crop plants got infested. The population declined during October and November and picked up again in January and February.
• Several crops, weeds and ornamental plants are inhabited by this insect. Among crop plants, groundnut, sunflower, tomato, potato, beans, peas, greengram, blackgram and other legumes are major hosts.

• Five thrips per terminal leaf up to 30 DAS.
  

• Early (first fortnight of June) sowing had the lowest thrips damage than late (July) sowing.
• Spray dimethoate @ 1 lit/ha if more than 5 thrips per terminal leaf only up to 30 DAS.
• Grow resistant varieties like Robut 33-1, Kadiri in endemic areas.

The tobacco caterpillar [Spodoptera litura (Fab.)] also known as army worm, which was a pest of minor importance a decade back has now become a major pest particularly in irrigated groundnut.

The larvae feed on the foliage particularly on young leaves and buds and cause heavy damage to the foliage. During daytime they hide under clods at the base of the plants and start climbing the plants after dusk and feed at night. When food becomes scarce, the caterpillars migrate in large number in search of food plants.

• Eggs are deposited in mass on groundnut foliage and are covered with fine grey hair of the female's body. Most eggs hatch in 4 days, young caterpillars are whitish-green, slightly translucent and inhabit terminal bud of groundnut. They feed on the surface of leaves and skeletonize them.
• Larvae pass through 6 instarts in about 3 weeks. At maturity the caterpillars enter the soil and pupate, usually at 1-3 inches depth.
• The adults emerge after about 10 days. The female moth produces sex pheromone that attracts males.
• This is a polyphagous insect and has been reported to feed on groundnut, castor, brinjal, tobacco, tomato, maize, agathi, jute, indigo, lucerne, cabbage, elephant yam, peas, banana leaves, blackgram, greengram, cowpea and grass. It also feeds on pods of chilli and pepper.

• The ETL for the pest in 8 egg masses/100 m of crop length or 10% leaf damage.

• Set up light trap or pheromone trap @ 5/acre
• Grow castor along the border and irrigation channels as an indicator or trap crop.
• Collect the egg masses and destroy.
• Collect the gregarious early instar larvae in clusters (which manifest the lace-like leaves by their feeding) on castor, cowpea and groundnut and destroy them.
• Avoid migration of larvae by digging a trench 30 cm deep and 25 cm wide with perpendicular sides around the infested fields.
• Prepare a bait with the following materials to cover one hectare. Rice bran 12.5 kg, molasses or brown sugar 2.5 kg and carbaryl 50 WP 1.25 kg. Mix the ingredients to obtain a homogeneous mixture, sprinkle water gradually and bring the bait to a dough consistency. Distribute the above bait on the soil, around the field and inside in the evening hours immediately after preparation.
• Application of nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) @ 250 LE/ha with crude sugar 2.5 kg/ha in the evening hours is as effective as that of insecticide spray.
• Apply any one of the following insecticides to control early instar (Ist to 3rd instar) larvae.
  1.Carbaryl 10 D-25 kg/ha;
  2.Carbaryl 50WP 2.0 kg/ha;
  3.Quinalphos 20 EC - 750 ml/ha;
  4.Dichlorvos 76 WSC – 750 ml/ha;
  5.Endosulfan 35 EC - 1.0 l/ha.
• Spray any one of the following insecticides per ha to control 4th to 6th instar larvae.
  1.Chlorpyriphos 20 EC - 2.0 lit;
  2.Dichlorovos 76 WSC 1.0 lit;
  3.Phenthoate 50 EC - 2.0 lit.
• Profenophos 0.1 percent of Neem oil 2 percent is recommended for adoption to manage Spodoptera in groundnut by RRS vridhachalam & ORS Tindivanam.

• White grubs, Holotrichia spp. are serious pests in northern states and in Tamil Nadu these are serious pests in localized areas of Cuddalore and Villupuram districts.

The young grubs feed on rootlets and nodules, the older grubs in third instar devour the entire tap root and such plants wither and die. The maximum damage occurs during August and September. The damage usually occurs in patches in field and the crop nearer to the hosts of adult beetles suffers heavy damage.

• Both grubs and beetles are polyphagous but the later are not regarded as major pests of field crops. The eggs laid by the adult beetle start hatching after the first summer rains.
• Eggs are laid singly in soil at a depth of 5-20 cm but mostly at 5-8 cm. They are pearly white, oval and 2-2.5 mm long. The eggs hatch in 9-11 days.
• The just hatched larvae are translucent white and 3-5 mm long. With the access of suitable crop plants young larvae begin to feed on rootlets and make rapid growth. * Pupation takes place in soil from the end of September to middle of October at a depth of 0.3 to 1.5 mm.
• The adults remain in soil until the ensuing monsoon. Beetles emerge from soil shortly after the heavy pre-monsoon or monsoon showers.

• Summer ploughing helps to collect and destroy the larvae and pupae of the pest.
• Early sowing may be useful in escaping from grub damage.
• Setting up light trap especially during May and June months (a day after the first summer rains) to monitor and collect the adult beetles.
• Collect adult beetles of white grubs attracted to trees like neem, Acacia on receipt of monsoon shower and destroy them.
• Branches of neem, tamarind and Acacia trees, around the field may be pruned and sprayed with chlorpyriphos @ 3 ml/lit of water.
• Hand pick the adults resting in the soil during day time and destroy.
• ntomogenous fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria brongniartii application @ 12.5 kg/ha after mixing it with FYM and applied in furrows.
• Soil application of phorate granules @ 25 kg /ha at the time of last ploughing.
• Seed treatment with chlorpyriphos @ 5 ml/kg of seed
• Dissolve 4.0 lit of chlorpyriphos /ha in irrigation water while irrigating the crop.
• Place insecticides treated twigs of neem or Acacia around the ground crop field to attract and kill the adult beetles.

This is a minor pest of groundnut in India. The damage caused by the mite, Tetranychus sp. is severe in crops are that under drought stress, when complete drying of foliage can occur. The mite-infested leaves show stippling followed by yellowing and finally turn almost white. Such plants show extensive webbing and tips of the plants may appear reddish because of the assembly of large number of mites on them. Ultimately the whole plant withers and die. The infestation spreads slowly to the unaffected crop through and wind. Spraying of kelthane or dicofol (750 ml/ha) was found effective.

A total of 18 species of termites infest groundnut, of which the important one belongs to the genus Odontotermes. Mud galleries of termites are seen on infected plants. Pods damage by termite increases considerably when there is a delay in harvesting. Termites penetrate and hollow out tap root and cause wilting and premature death of plant. It also feeds on pod shell and scarifies the pod externally and occasionally bores into them, which render them more susceptible to invasion by soil fungi, that can attack seeds. Usually such seeds rot. Seeds from the pods damaged by termite contain more aflatoxins than seeds from undamaged pods. Apply malathion 5 % D or lindane 5 % D @ 25 kg /ha at the time of last plough.

• It is important in some localized areas of Cuddalore and Villupuram districts.
• The larvae bore the basal portion of the stem just beneath the soil surface and tunnel through the main root resulting in death of the plant. Such plants can be easily pulled out from soil.
• The eggs are laid on the main stem of plant. The grubs on hatching bore into stem. A fully-grown grub measures about 3.5 cm in length. Grubs pupate in the larval burrow, the pupal period is completed in 10 days.
• The maximum incidence of the insect was recorded in October in kharif and April in summer.
• Cowpea, agathi, sickle senna and wild sunnhemp have been reported to be the host.
• Soil application of malathion 5 % D @ 25 kg /ha before sowing controls the pest.

• Gray (or ash) weevils (Myllocerus spp) eat groundnut foliage particularly during the rainy season, notching or scalloping the edges of leaves. They are generally of minor importance, but may pose problems in special situations like hybridization blocks because they are feed on flowers.
• To control this weevil, apply 25 kg/ha of malathion dust early in the morning.