Major pests of Safflower are:-
1.Gram pod borer/ Capsule borer: Helicoverpa armigera
Symptoms of damage:
- In early stage of crop, growth larvae feed on leaves and shoot apices
- Later, the larvae shift to the developing capitula
- The symptoms are perforated leaves, perforated involucral bracts, partially or completely eaten capitula in the bud stage and bored developing capitula
Identification of the pest:
- Eggs: Spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly
- Larva: Shows colour variation from greenish to brown. It has dark brown-grey lines on the body with lateral white lines and also has dark and pale bands.
- Pupa: Brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris
- Adult: Light pale brownish yellow stout moth.
- Forewings are olive green to pale brown with a dark brown circular spot in the centre.
- Hind wings are pale smoky white with a broad blackish outer margin
Management:
- Intercropping with non-host crops like wheat or barley
- Avoid chickpea as intercrop
- Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided
- Ha NPV can be applied at 250-300 larval equivalents/ha
- Conserve Campoletis chloridae, Enicospilus sp, etc.
2.Safflower caterpillar: Perigaea capensis
Symptoms of damage:
- The larva feeds on the leaves and sometimes on capitulum too
- It also feeds on bracts, flowers, capsules
Identification of the pest:
- Larva: Stout, green and smooth. The anal segment is humped and the body has some purple markings
- Adult – Dark brown in colour, medium sized moth on; Forewings are dark brown with pale wavy marks; Hind wings are light brown
Management:
- Intercropping with non-host crop like wheat
- Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided
- Spraying of carbaryl 50 WP@ 2.5 – 3.00 kg/ha or fenvalerate 20 EC @ 250 ml/ha
3.Capsule fly/ Safflower bud fly: Acanthiophilus helianthi rossi
Symptoms of damage:
- Newly hatched larvae feed on the soft parts of the capsules
- Affected buds show small bore holes
- The infested buds rotten with a foul smelling ooze coming out of the apices
Identification of the pest:
- Larva: Maggot is dirty white in colour.
- Adult: Flies are ash coloured with light brown legs.
Management:
- Application of dimethoate 30 EC @ 600-650 ml/ha or malathion 50 EC @ 1.00 litre/ha or phosphomidon 100 EC@ 150-200 ml/ha. About 600 to 650 litre of water is needed for spraying in about one-hectare area.
4.Safflower aphid: Uroleucon carthami
Symptoms of damage:
- Curling and yellowing of tender leaves.
- Secrete honey dew like secretion on upper surface of the leaves and plant parts forming a black sooty mold which hinders photosynthetic activity resulting in stunted growth.
- Finally, the plants dry up.
Identification of the pest:
- Nymphs: Reddish brown
- Adults: Large sized, black with pear-shaped body and conspicuous cornicle
Management:
- Avoid late sowing.
- If the attack is observed in the border rows take control measures.
- Avoid excess use of nitrogen.
- Maintain 2 or 3 rows of Maize and Sorghum around the fields
- Release of Chrysoperla eggs/grubs @ 1-2/plant.
- Conserve Aphidencyrtus aphidivorus, Micromus cinearis, Ischiodon scutellaris, Harmonia octomaculat and Aphelinus sp.
- Spray dimethoate 30 EC @ 750 ml/ha,40 and 60 days after sowing. Use 500 litres of spray mixture and 20 kg dust formulation/ ha.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
