Cardamom is one of the oldest known spices in the world.Evergreen forests of Western Ghats of South India are considered as the centre of origin as well as the natural habitat of this crop. It is commercially cultivated for its dried fruits(capsules), which is also referred as cardamom of commerce.
Family: Zigniberaceae.
Scientific Name: Elettaria cardamomum.
There are some insect pests that may cause damage to the crop.For the protection of crop, proper identification and management of these pests are required.
Major pests of Cardamom are:-
S.No. |
Pests |
|
| 1. | Thrips |  |
| 2. | Shoot, panicle and capsule borer |
|
| 3. | Beetle borer |  |
| 4. | Hairy caterpillars |  |
| 5. | Shoot fly |  |
| 6. | Aphid |  |
| 7. | White flies |  |
| 8. | Root grubs |  |
Integrated pest management
Cultural
-
Destroy rhizomes infested with immature stages of the weevil
-
Avoid planting banana inside its plantation and destroy host plant like Colocasia and Alocasia to control aphid infestation
-
Cultivar Malabar variety, resistant to thrips. The hybrid Vazhukla is moderately resistant
Chemical
-
Quinalphos or dimethoate 0.1% against thrips, phosphomidon or dimethoate 0.1% against aphids and monocrotophos 0.1% against shoot borer effective
Biological
-
Field release of parasitoids Xanthopimpla australicus, pupal parasite of shoot borer
-
Beauveria sp (white fungus) on hairy caterpillar
-
Verticillium entertextum (Fungus) on aphids
Source-
-
TamilNadu Agritech Portal.
