Control Pests of: Sorghum, Bajra, Ragi, Pigeonpea, Greengram and Sesame!
Contents:
- How to Control Pests of Sorghum?
- How to Control Pests of Bajra?
- How to Control Pests of Ragi?
- How to Control Pests of Pigeonpea?
- How to Control Pests of Greengram?
- How to Control Pests of Sesame?
1. How to Control Pests of Sorghum?
Insect Control:
There are more than 150 insect and mite species infecting sorghum. Among them shoot fly, stem borer, midge and head bugs are the most serious insects that cause extensive economic damage every year over a wide areas. Major insect pests, their marks of identification, nature of damage along with control measures are summarized below.
1. Shootfly (Atherigona soccata):
It is a seedling pest causing damage from 1 to 4 weeks of emergence. Adult are whitish grey fly. The maggot bores inside the stem and cuts the growing point. Central shoots dried and produce “dead heart” symptom. The infested plant produces side tillers.
Control:
Use resistant varieties like CSH 15R. Take up early sowing of sorghum in kharif and late in the rabi. Use seeds pelleted with insecticides. Follow seed treatment with imidacloprid 70 WS @ 10 g/kg of seeds. In case of direct seeding, use increased seed rate upto 12.5 kg/ha. Plough soon after harvest, remove and destroy the stubbles.
2. Stem Borer (Chilo partellus):
Stem borer infest the crop from second week to maturity. Larva are yellowish brown with a brown head. Adult moth is medium size with straw coloured. Withering and drying of central shoot -“dead heart”. Red mining in the midrib. Bore holes visible on the stem near the nodes. Tender folded leaves have parallel “shot hole” Affected parts of stem may show internally tunneling of caterpillars.
Control:
Dead hearts should be pulled out and used as fodder or buried in manure pits. Stubbles should be ploughed up during winter and burnt to destroy the hibernating larvae. Sow the lab or cowpea as an intercrop (Sorghum: cowpea at 4:1) Set up light trap and spread bio-control agents viz., Trichogramma minutum, Bracon chinensis, etc. Apply phorate – 10G@ 8 kg or carbofuran 3G@ 17 kg mix with sand (total quantity of 50 kg).
3. Pink Stem Borer (Sesamia inferens):
Adults are straw coloured moth with white wings. Central shoots dried and produce the dead hearts.
Control:
Spray endosulfan 35 EC @ 1 lit/ha at every 20 days interval after germination.
4. Ear Head Caterpillar (Helicoverpa armigera):
It has dark brown grey lines on the body with lateral white lines. Light pale brownish yellow stout moth. Earheads are partially eaten with chalky appearance. Feacal pellets are visible within the ear heads.
Control:
Set up 12 sex pheromone traps/ha. Apply carbaryl 10 D 25 kg/ha or malathion 5 D 25 kg/ha or Phosalone 4 D 25 kg/ha on 3rd and 18th day after panicle emergence.
5. Shoot Bug (Peregrinus maidis):
Adults are yellowish brown to dark brown with translucent wings. Plants become unhealthy stunted and yellow. The leaves wither from top downwards. Panicle formation is inhibited and the plants die if attack is severe. Honeydew secreted by the bug causes growth of ‘sooty mould’ on leaves. The midribs of the leaves turn red due to egg-laying and may dry up subsequently.
Control:
Spray with 0.04% diazine (or) dimethoate 0.02%. Application of phosphomidon @ 250 ml in 450-500 litres water/ha.
6. Earhead Bug (Calocoris angustatus):
Nymphs and adult suck the juice from within the grains when they are in the milky stage. Grains shrink and turn black in colour and ill filled or chaffy. Presence of large number of nymphs and adults are seen on the ear head.
Control:
Apply Carbaryl 10 D @25 kg/ha or Malathion 5 D @25 kg/ha or azadirachtin 1% on 3rd and 18th day after panicle emergence.
7. Sorghum Midge (Contarinia sorghicola):
Pollen shedding due to laying of eggs. White pupal cases protruding out from the grains. Chaffy grains with holes.
Control:
Set up light traps. Apply Carbaryl 10 D @25 kg/ha or Malathion 5 D @25 kg/ha or Phosalone 4 D @25 kg/ha or Neem seed kernel extract 5% on 3rd and 18th day after panicle emergence.
2. How to Control Pests of Bajra?
Insect Control:
Pearl millet crop is subject to attack by various insect-pests. A brief account of major insect-pests and their control measures are presented hereunder.
1. Shoot Fly (Atherigona approximate):
Nature of Damage:
Young plants causes dead hearts. Ear heads – chaffy grains in the tip and well developed grains in the lower portion of ear heads.
Control:
Use seeds pelleted with insecticides. Seed treatment with imidacloprid 70 WS 10 g/kg of seeds. Plough soon after harvest, remove and destroy the stubbles. Spray Endosulfan 35 EC 500 ml/ha or Methyl demeton 25 EC 500 ml/ha or Dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml/ha or Neem Azal 1 per cent.
2. Stem borer (Chilo partellus):
Nature of Damage:
Withering and drying of central shoot -“dead heart”. Red mining in the midrib. Bore holes visible on the stem near the nodes. Tender folded leaves have parallel “shot hole”. Affected parts of stem may show internally tunneling caterpillars.
Control:
Collect the stubbles after harvest and burn to destroy diapausing borers. Set up light trap till midnight to attract and kill the stem borer moth. Mix Phorate 10 G 8 kg, or carbofuran 3G 17 kg, or endosulfan 4D 10 kg with sand (total quantity of 50 kg) and spread it. Apply endosulfan 35 EC 750 ml (or) carbaryl 50 WP 1 kg (500 lit spray fluid/ha).
3. Pink Stem Borer (Sesamia inferens):
Identification:
Egg – Bead like laid in rows within the leaf sheath. Larva – Pinkish brown with dark head. Adult – Straw coloured moth with white wings.
Nature of Damage:
Central shoots dried and produce the dead hearts.
Control:
Spray endosulfan 35 EC @ 1 lit/ha at every 20 days interval
4. Grain Midge (Geromyia penniseti):
Identification:
Adult – Light pink fragile fly.
Nature of Damage:
Grain less glumes with white pupal case attached to the tip of the spikelet.
Control:
Apply Carbaryl 10 D 25 kg/ha or Malathion 5 D 25 kg/ha or Carbaryl 50 WP 750 g/ha at 50 % flowering or spray Endosulfan 35 EC 750 ml/ha (500 1 of water/ ha).
5. Stink Bug (Nezara viridula):
Identification:
Nymph – Brownish red with multi colour spots. Adult – Green in colour.
Nature of Damage:
Grains become chaffy or spotted black and shrivelled. A stinking smell emanates from the bug.
Control:
Apply carbaryl 10D, or malathion 5D or spray carbaryl 50WP 750 g (or) endosulanf 750 ml/ha.
6. Termites:
The pest feeds on the roots and lower portion on the stem of the plant. The attacked plants generally dry up. The pest is more serious in dry areas.
Control:
Mix 2% Methyl parathion dust at the rate of 25kg per hectare in the soil before sowing the crop.
7. White Grub:
This pest is very serious. They damage the root system of young seedlings and as a result the seedlings die. Its larvae cause the major damage resulting in the complete failure of crop.
Control:
Mix Phorate (Thimet) 10% granules at the rate of 15kg per hectare or Carbofuran (Furadan) 3% granules at the rate of 30 kg per hectare before sowing. Inter cropping of Pearl Millets with pulses like green gram, cluster been, and cowpea significantly reduces the white grub damage on Pearl millet crop.
3. How to Control Pests of Ragi?
Insect Control:
The major insect/pests attacks on fingermillet along with their identification, nature of damage and control are enumerated hereunder.
1. Pink Stem Borer (Sesamia inferens):
Nature of Damage:
Pink larva enters into the stem and causes dead heart symptom.
Identification:
Eggs are bead like laid in rows within the leaf sheath. Larva – Pinkish brown with dark head. Adults are straw coloured moth with white wings.
Control:
Spray endosulfan 35 EC @ 1 l/ha at every 20 days interval after germination
2. Earhead Bug (Calocoris angustatus):
Nature of Damage:
Nymphs and adult suck the juice from within the grains when they are in the milky stage. Grains shrink and turn black in colour and ill filled (or) chaffy. Presence of large number of nymphs and adults are seen on the ear head.
Identification:
Eggs are blue cigar shaped, laid under the glumes or into the middle of the florets. Nymphs are slender, green in colour. Adult male is green in colour. Female is green with a brown margin.
Control:
Spray carbaryl 50 WP @ 1.0 kg/ha at milky stage.
3. Aphids (Rhopalosiphum maidis):
Nature of Damage:
Yellowing of leaves. Aphid colonies present on the central leaf whorl and ears.
Identification:
Yellow with dark green legs.
Control:
Spray methyl demeton 25 EC@ 20 ml/ha or dimethoate 30 EC@ 20 ml/ha (mixed 10 l of water using high volume sprayer).
4. Root Aphid (Tetraneura nigriabdominalis):
Nature of Damage:
Infested plants turn pale yellow and become stunted. Wilting and drying of plants in patches. Black ants attend them for honeydew and their presence confirm the root aphid attack.
Identification:
Adult is pinkish and globular.
Control:
Spray endosulfan 35 EC @ 1000 ml/ha or carbaryl 50 WP@ 1 kg/ha (500 l spray fluid/ha).
4. How to Control Pests of Pigeonpea?
A large number of insect-pests like hairy caterpillar, plume moth, pod borer, etc. attacks on pigeonpea and reduce the yield drastically. Strick vigilance on incidence of these pests can help to take timely control measures, most effectively with minimum expenditure.
Important insect-pests their nature of damage and suitable control measures are summarised below:
1. Pod Borer:
This is widely distributed and is the most injurious pest to early and medium maturing varieties. The larvae, after hatching, feed on tender leaves and twigs but at pod formation they puncture pods and feed on developing grains.
Control:
The caterpillars should be picked by hand after shaking the plants and destroyed in the early stages of attack. Spray the crop with 1.5 litre endosulfan 35 EC or monocrophos (nuvacron) 36 EC per hectare in 1000 litres of water.
2. Tur Pod Fly:
It is an important pest of pigeon pea causing more severe damage in medium and late maturing types. The eggs are laid in tender pods. As the larvae grow and feed on the seeds, damage becomes more conspicuous and distinct.
Control:
The pest can be controlled by spraying the crop with 1.5 litres of Endosulfan 35 EC or Monocrotophos (Nuvacron) 36 EC in 1000 litres of water per hectare.
3. Plume Moth:
This is a serious pest of pigeon pea. The larvae damage seeds as well as cause flowers, buds and pods to drop. The caterpillar is greenish-brown in colour and fringed with short hairs and spines. It also enters into the pod and feeds on developing grains.
Control:
Spray the crop with Endosulfan 35 EC (1.5 millilitre in 1 litre of water) at the rate of 800-1000 litres per hectare.
4. Hairy Caterpillar:
Three species of hairy caterpillars may cause damage to early crop of arhar by eating away the green water of the leaves. The adult moth of these caterpillars lay eggs in large clusters and the young larvae are also congregated. The red hairy caterpillar may damage the crop at seedling stage.
Control:
Collect and destroy the eggs and young larvae. The young caterpillars can also be killed by dusting 2% Methyl parathion at the rate of 25-30 kg per hectare. For full grown caterpillars spray Endosulfan 35 EC at the rate of 1.5 litres in 1000 litres of water per hectare.
5. Leaf Hopper:
The adults and nymphs of this green hopper suck the juice from the leaves. Generally the insect sucks sap from the lower surface of the leaves but also occasionally from the upper surface. As a result of sucking the sap, the leaves turn brown and curl from edge. In severe cases, they show symptoms of hopper burn and ultimately dry up.
Control:
Give basal application of Phorate (Thimet) 10 % granules at the rate of 10 kg per hectare or Disulfortan 5% granules at the rate of 20 kg per hectare at the time of sowing. Spraying with Monocrotophos 36 EC (1 millilitre in 1 litre of water), also controls the insect effectively.
6. Bean Fly:
It is sporadic type of pest. The larva enters into the stem and causes plants to wilt or young plants to die. In case of severe infestation, there may be considerable damage.
Control:
Application of systematic soil insecticide as used in case of leaf hopper provides adequate protection to the crop.
5. How to Control Pests of Greengram?
1. Gram Pod Borer (Helicoverpa armigera):
Nature of Damage:
Defoliation in early stages. Larva’s head alone thrust inside the pods and the rest of the body hanging out. Pods with round holes.
Identification:
Eggs are spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly Larva shows colour variation from greenish to brown. Green with dark brown grey lines laterally on the body with lateral white lines and also has dark and pale bands. Pupa are brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris Adult are light pale brownish yellow stout moth. Fore wing grey to pale brown with V shaped speck. Hind wings are pale smoky white with a broad blackish outer margin.
2. Spotted Pod Borer (Maruca testulalis):
Nature of Damage:
Bore holes on the buds, flower or pods. Infested pods and flowers are webbed together.
Identification:
Larva – Greenish white with brown head. It has two pairs of dark spots on the back of each segment. Forewings of adults are light brown colour with white markings; hindwings are white colour with brown markings at the lateral edge.
3. Spiny Pod Borer (Etiella zinckenella):
Nature of Damage:
Dropping of flowers and young pods. Older pods marked with a brown spot where a larvae has entered
Identification:
Larval greenish initially, turns pink before pupation. It has 5 black spots on the prothorax. Adults are brownish grey moth. Prothorax orange in colour. Fore wing has a white stripe along the anterior margin.
4. Blue Butterfly (Lampides boeticus):
Nature of Damage:
Buds, flowers and young pods with boreholes. Presence of slug like caterpillar. Honey dew secretion with black ant movements.
Identification:
Larva – is flat and slightly rounded; Pale green with a rough skin. Adult – moth is greyish blue with prominent black spots in the hind wings and a long tail; Ventral side of wings with numerous stripes and brown spots
5. Grass Blue Butterfly – Euchrysops cnejus:
Nature of Damage:
Buds, flowers and young pods with boreholes and presence of slug like caterpillar. Larva entry hole on the pod is plugged with excreta.
Identification:
Larva – pale green or yellow with a red line and short black hairs on the body. Adult – butterfly is blue, medium sized with 5 black spots in the hind wings and two black spots in the inner margin.
Management of Pod Borer Complex:
ETL 10% affected parts. Deep summer ploughing in 2-3 years to eliminate quiescent pupa. Adopt early sowing of short duration varieties. Avoid closer plant spacing. Grow tall sorghum as comparison crop to serve as biological bird perches.
Collect and destroy larvae and adults to the extent possible. Install pheromone traps at a distance of 50 m @ 5 traps/ha for each insect pest. Install Bird perches @ 50/ha. Setting light traps (1 light trap/5 acre) to kill moth population.
Control is achieved by releasing of Trichogramma chlionis at weekly intervals @1.5 lakh/ha/ week for four times. Conserve green lacewing, predatory stink bugs, spider, and ants. Bt @ 600 g, neem oil/pungum oil 80 EC @ 2ml/lit Apply Endosulfan 4D, quinalphos 4D, carbaryl 5D at 25 kg/ha. Spray insecticides like endosulfan 35 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.(OR) Quinalphos 25 EC @ 1000 ml/ha.