Guide for controlling the Pests of Sesame!
1. Leaf Webber, Roller and Capsule Borer (Antigastra catalaunalis):
Nature of Damage:
The young larvae roll together a few top leaves and feed them. In the early stage of infestation, the plant dies without producing any branch or shoot. In later stage of attack, infested shoots stop growing. At flowering, larvae feed inside the flowers and on capsule formation, larvae bore into capsule and feed on developing seeds.
Identification:
Larvae are greenish in colour with black head having short white hairs. Adult medium sized moth with reddish yellow forewings.
Management:
Early sown (first week of July) kharif crop is less infested than late sown crop. Intercrop with mungbean, pearl millet and groundnut. Two sprayings of endosulfan 0.07% or quinalphos 0.05% at 30 and 45 days after sowing. Two rounds of dusting with phosalone 4% or malathion 5% dust @ 25 kg/ha at 30 and 45 days after sowing.
2. Hawk or Dead Head Moth (Sphinx Caterpillar) – Acherontia styx:
Nature of Damage:
Caterpillars feed on the leaves and defoliate the plant.
Identification:
Larvae are stout, sturdy, and greenish with oblique stripes and with a prominent dorsal curved anal horn on the 8th abdominal segment. Adult are brownish giant hawk moth. Abdomen has violet and yellow band. Forewings are dark brown and Hind wings are yellowish with 2 black lines.
Management:
Deep ploughing exposes the pupae for predation to insectivorous birds.
Hand picking collection and destruction of caterpillars. Two rounds of dusting with phosalone 4% or Malathion 5% or endosulfan 4% dust @ 25 kg/ha, first at 30 DAS and second at 45 DAS.
3. Linseed Gall Fly (Dasyneura sesame):
Nature of Damage:
Fully grown larvae make a hole in the bud and damage the flower.
Identification:
Maggots are whitish, legless. Adult are mosquito like fly.
Management:
The infested buds should be removed and destroyed to reduce further incidence of the pest. Conserve larval parasite Pteromalus fasciatus. Spray crop at bud initiation stage with dimethoate @ 0.03% or endosulfan @ 0.07%.
4. Gall Fly (Asphondylia sesami):
Nature of Damage:
Maggots feed inside the floral bud leading to formation of gall like structure which do not develop in to flower/capsules. The affected buds wither and drop.
Identification:
Maggots are whitish, legless and with body tapering exteriorly. Adult are mosquito like fly.
Management:
Intercrop with mungbean, pearl millet and groundnut. Clip the galls, pick and burn the shed buds. Conserve larval parasitoids of gall fly like Eurytoma dentipectus, Bracon hebetor Say, E. nosiotes. Crawford Spray crop at bud initiation stage with carbaryl 50 WP at the rate of 2.5 kg or dimethoate 0.03% or endosulfan 0.07%.
5. Leaf Hopper (Oroslus albicinctus):
Nature of Damage:
Curling of leaf edges and leaves turn red or brown. The leaves dry up and shed. Vector of sesamum phyllody.
Identification:
Adult light brown coloured hopper.
Management:
Remove and destroy infected plants. Seed treatment with imidacloprid or carbosulfan or spraying of monocrotophos protects the crop from all sucking pests including jassids for about a month. Spray monocrotophos 36WSC or dimethoate 30 EC@ 500 ml/ha combined with Intercropping of sesame + redgram (6: 1 row ratio).
6. Aphids (Aphis gossypii):
Nature of Damage:
Crinkling and curling of leaves. Leaves appear shiny and sticky due to honeydew excreted by the insects. Later sooty mold grows on honey dew and leaves have a black coating.
Adult are yellowish to dark.
Management:
Seed treatment with imidacloprid (5g/kg seed) keeps the crop free of sucking pests over a month.
Paint on stem with a mixture of monocrotophos – water (1:4) or imidacloprid – water (1:20) at 20, 40 and 60 days of sowing.