IPM Packages for Crops

insect pests

INSECTS PESTS

Eggplant fruit and shoot borer [ Leucinodes orbonalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)] Responsible for extensive yield losses, it is one of the major constraints in eggplant production throughout the tropics in Asia and Africa. The most serious damage is caused by larval feeding inside the fruit, while boring inside the shoot leads to wilting and dying of shoots and gradually slows plant growth. The pest has devel- oped resistance to commonly used pesti- cides due to farmers’ indiscriminate use for its control. Bt brinjal has been introduced in Bangladesh. Spotted beetles [ Epilachna vigintioctopunctata and E. dodecastigma (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)] A pest that feeds on solanaceous crops like tomato and potato. Adults and larvae feed on leaves, leading to skeletonization of the leaves. Cotton aphid [ Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae)] A cosmopolitan and polyphagous pest that feeds on various crops like cucurbits, eggplant, okra, cotton, etc. Aphids suck the sap from plants, which results in yellow- ing, curling, and deformation of leaves. Honey dew secretion leads to development of sooty mold. Flea beetles [ Epitrix fuscula (Coleoptera: Chrysomel- idae)] The flea beetle feeds undersides of leaves, leaving numerous small, round, or irregu- larly shaped holes, which gives a charac- teristic “shot hole” appearance to leaves. South American Tomato Leafminer [ Phthorimaea (Tuta) absoluta (Lepidop- tera: Gelechiidae)] The South American tomato leafminer causes damage primarily to tomato but also affects eggplant, potato, and tobacco.

Spider mites [ Tetranychus spp. (Acarina: Tetranychi- dae)] Mites are cosmopolitan and polyphagous pests that feed on various vegetable crops and reduce yields. Mites cause yellow specks on leaves and produce webs on the leaf surface. Mites use web strands to disperse from one plant to another. Root knot nematode [ Meloidogyne spp. (Tylenchida: Heterode- ridae)] Nematodes have a wide host range and are most severe in warm areas with long grow- ing seasons. Plants infected by root-knot nematodes are generally less vigorous and healthy. Symptoms of nutrient deficiency and diurnal wilting are visible on leaves due to reduced efficiency of the root sys - tem. Presence of bead-like galls on roots is a characteristic of nematode presence. Leafhopper [ Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)] Favored by hot and humid weather con- ditions, this pest causes yellow spots and “hopper burns” on leaves. Thrips [ Thrips palmi (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)] A widely distributed polyphagous pest that infests eggplant, mostly during the dry season. Thrips prefer to feed on foliage but will also feed on fruit. Slightly infested leaves have silvery feeding scars on the lower leaf surfaces while severely infested leaves turn yellow or brown. Infested fruit is scarred and deformed. Whitefly [ Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)] The whitefly is a polyphagous pest respon - sible for crop losses worldwide, however. There are no records of virus transmission in eggplant by this pest.

Broad mites Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acarina: Tarsonemidae)| Worldwide Serious pest of eggplants, pepper, tomato, etc. Affects tender leaves in the growing shoots. Affected shoots become elongated, while leaves become curled and distorted. Fruits are malformed and scarified.

Leucinodes orbonalis feeding damage on eggplant fruit

Whitefly, Lesley Ingram, Bugwood.org

Leucinodes orbonalis feeding damage on eggplant fruit