PESTS ON TUBER CROPS

1. POTATO

2. Cutworms,    Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Common cutworm: Agrotis segetum

Black cutworm: Agrotis ipsilon

• Larva: Larva dark brown in colour.
• Pupa: Pupates inside the soil.
• Adult: brown fore wings with spots and markings.
• Feed on foliage and Cut the tender stem.

Agrotis ipsilon

Cutting of tender shoots

Pests on Tuber crops

1. Potato

1. Potato tuber moth: Phthorimoea operculella : Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera.

•     Causes problem both in field and storage
• v  Eggs:  Eggs laid on the leaves or on the exposed tuber.
• v  Larva: Larva yellow with brown head. Hibernates either in larval/ pupal stage.
• v  Pupa: Pupates in soil. Adult: Moth small dark brown. 
•     Larvae mine into leaves, tender shots and developing tubers.

Adult 

Tunneling of Tuber

Pests on leafy vegetables

3. curry leaf

1. Citrus Butterfly, Papilio demoleus; P. polites : Papilionidae : Lepidoptera.

2. Psyllids- Diaphorina citri psyllidae; Hemiptera.

• It is a vector of a serious citrus disease called greening disease or Huanglongbing.
• Nymph and adults - Yellow and membranous.
• Twig withering

Adult

Pests on leafy vegetables

2. MORINGA

6. Longicorn beetles: Batocera rubus : Cerambycidae: Coleoptera.

• Grubs are stout, yellowish with well-defined segmentation. 
• Adults are medium-sized beetles and yellowish–brown with white spots on elytra.
• Death of branch or tree.

        

leafy vegetables

Moringa

5. Hairy caterpillar: Streblote siva :Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera

Caterpillars are pale ochreous–brown in colour with small black spots and long lateral tufts of ochreous hair.

Moth has grayish-white head and thorax and whitish abdomen. Fore wings are beautifully coloured with reddish-brown spot ringed with white. Hind wings are white with slight fuscous on outer margin. 

Adult

Caterpillar

Pests on leafy vegetables

MORINGA

4. Hairy caterpillars: Eupterote mollifera:Eupterotidae: Lepidoptera

• It is the most destructive and specific pest in South India.
• Eggs are laid in clusters on leaves and tender stems.
• Caterpillars are brownish in colour and densely hairy. Hairs are irritating to touch. Pupation takes place in soil
• Adults are large-sized moths with light yellowish-brown wings having faint lines.
• Defoliation.
  

LEAFY VEGETABLES 2. MORINGA 3. Leaf caterpillar

Pests on leafy vegetables

                                                 2. MORINGA

3. Leaf caterpillar: Noorda blitealis : Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera.

• It is a sporadically serious pest of drumstick trees especially in south India. 
• Eggs are laid in batches.
• Adults are medium sized moths. Fore wings are uniformly dark in colour with a small white streak at inner area of base. Hind wings are hyaline with broad black marginal band towards anal side.