Diamondback moth: Plutella xylostella
Symptoms of damage:
- Whitish patches due to scrapping of epidermal leaf tissues by young larvae
- The leaves give a withered appearance but in later stages, larvae bore holes in the leaves
- It also bores into pods and feeds developing seed
Identification of the pest:
- Larva: Yellowish green, with fine erect black hairs scattered all over the body
- Adult: Small greyish brown adult having pale whitish narrow wings with yellow inner margins. Forewings have three white triangular spots along the inner margin, triangular markings of opposite wings appear as diamond shaped. Hind wings have a fringe of long fine hairs
Management:
- Installing pheromone trap @5/ac. to monitor the moth activity
- Collection and careful destruction of the larvae at gregarious stage at least twice a week
- Conserve Cotesia plutellae, as it is an important parasitoid for the diamond back moth. Diadegma insulare is also the most important parasitoid of the diamondback moth
- For control of grown up larvae apply 5% malathion dust @37.5 kg/ha.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
