Major pests of Lily are:-
1.Lily Thrips: Thrips simplex
Symptom of damage:
- Deformities and discolouration of lily flowers and corms (bulbs)
- Attacked- buds and flowers remain closed or open irregularly.
- Infested surfaces show unnatural glistening in whitish grey colour.
Identification of the pest:
- Egg – opaque white, smooth and bean shaped, deposited in the leaf tissue and corms.
- Adult – milky-white, which later turn brown
- Wings have a light transverse band near the base.
Management:
- Storing of infested corms at 20c for 6 weeks.
- Hot water treatment – 460c completely kills thrips on corms.
- Spray acephate 0.1% 2-3 times at 10 days interval.
- Spray malathion 1ml (or) carbaryl 50 WP 2g /lit of water before the bud initiation.
2.Lily bulb mite: Rhizoglyphus echinopus
Symptom of damage:
- Feed on the bulbs and roots and destroy them.
- Infest the scales and burrow into the stems.
- Infested leaves and stems become yellow.
Identification of the pest:
- A Very minute in size, visible to naked eye.
- Yellowish white in colour.
- Pinkish tinge, bead-like, shining & slow moving mite.
Management:
- Applying peat.
- Steam sterilisation of bulbs 600c for 30 min (or) 800c for 20 min.
- Alternate cropping with rice, solar drying of soils, and ploughing with Sesbania, long-term submergence of water.
- Chemical (or) warm water treatment of bulbs.
- Fortnightly spray with dicofol at 0.025-0.04% and monocrotophos at 0.04%.
3.Green peach aphid: Myzus persicae
Symptom of damage:
- Nymphs and adults – found in a cluster of the tender shoots, flowers and buds and suck the sap.
- Tender shoots wither, buds fall prematurely, flowers show fading.
Identification of the pest:
- Yellowish green or rarely reddish aphids suck the sap.
Management:
- Spray one and half teaspoonful of NICOTINE SULPHATE +2 teaspoonful of soap powder /gallon of water.
4.Tulip bulb aphid: Dysaphis tulipae
Symptoms of damage:
- Cripple the young growth and distort the general look of the plants.
- Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the leaves.
- Results in pale yellowing of leaves.
- Curling of leaves.
- Plants begin to droop.
Identification of the pest:
- Grey with wax appearance.
- Cluster under bulb coats.
Management:
- Spray dimethoate 30 EC 2ml/lit or methyl demeton 25 EC 2ml/lit or malathion 2ml/lit.
- Release first instar larva of green lace wing fly.
- Conserve predator like Aphelinus sp parasitizing a green peach aphid.
5.Lily Leaf Caterpillar: Polytela gloriosa
Symptoms of damage:
- Larva feed on the leaves.
Identification of the pest:
- Black larva with red white spots.
- Adult is a brown moth with yellow and red markings
Management:
- Hand picking the caterpillars and destroy
- Summer ploughing.
- Spray application of NSKE 5%.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
