Insect Pest Management of Cole Crops
1. Mustard Saw- Fly:
Scientific Name:
Athalica proxima Klug.
The blackish caterpillar that attacks all cole crops and feed on leaves of young seedling in the early stages. The infested leaves become curl and falls on the ground when touched.
Control Measures:
i) Hand picking of caterpillar, if infestation is light and number of attacked plant is small is the best method of controlling the larvae.
Ii) Dusting the plants with BHC or DDT10 % of sevin @ 10 kg % acer or spraying the same @ 5 gm per liter of water is also effective to control this insect.
2. Mustard Aphids:
Scientific Name:
Lipaphis erysimi Davis.
A greenish white small insect that attack cabbage and other cole groups when there is a cloudy weather. They suck the sap from the plants. The affected leaves get curled and plants wither and die’s.
Control Measures:
Spray Endosulphan 35 EC @ 0.5 or Phosphamidon 85 @ P 0.02 % or Dimathoate 30 EC @ 0.5 % or Methyldemation 25 EC @ 0.02 % or Thiomation 25 EC @ 0.025%.
3. Diamond Black Moth:
Scientific Name:
Plutella maculipennis curt.
A small slender pale green caterpillar that feeds on leves and make holes in them. The infested crops become unsuitable for marketing.
Control Measures:
This pest can effectively controlled by spraying the crops with Malathion ( Cythion- 50 EC, Folithion – 1000 ) /2 2 ml per liter of water or Dichlorovus ( Nuvan – 1000, Vapona Agrosan etc ) or Monocrotophos ( Monocil, Nuracron, Suphos etc) @ 1 ml per liter of water.
4. Cabbage Borer:
Scientific Name:
Hellula undlais F.
A whitish brown caterpillar that mines the leaves and feed on shoot. Later it burrows into the stem or cabbage. The affected plants wilt, remain dwarf or may even die.
Control Measures:
i) Removal of caterpillar when the plant is young is the best method for the control of larvae.
ii) This pest can effectively be controlled by spraying the crop with Phosphamidon (Demicron- 100 E. C sumison, demidon etc.
5. Cabbage Fly:
Scientific Name:
Chotophila Brassica (hylemya)
The maggots first attack the young root lets and then burrow into the main toot. The affected plants become yellow, wilt and sometime they may die.
Control Measures:
Soil application of aldrin or heptachlor 5 % @ 15 kg percent acre or heptaf 5% @ 10 kg acre at the time of planting have been found effective in controlling this pest.
6. Painted Bug:
Scientific Name:
Bagda cruciferum kirk.
The adult and nymph of this pest suck the sap from the plants and related their normal growth.
Control Measures:
A greenish white small insect that attack cabbage and other cole groups when there is a cloudy weather. They suck the sap from the plants. The affected leaves get curled and plants wither and die’s.