Gram caterpillar: Helicoverpa armigera

Symptoms of damage:

• Early instar feeds on foliage
• Grown up larvae mainly bore into the fruits.

Identification of pest:

• Eggs: Are spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly
• Larva: Shows colour variation from greenish to brown
• Pupa: Brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris
• Adult: Female is brownish yellow stout moth, Male is light greenish in colour with “V” shaped markings.

Management:

• Collect and destroy the infected fruits and grown up larvae
• Setup pheromone trap with Helilure at 15/ha
• Six releases of Trichogramma chilonis @ 50,000/ha per week coinciding with flowering time
• Release Chrysoperla carnea at weekly interval at 50,000 eggs or grubs / ha from 30 DAS.
• Spray HaNPV at 1.5x10¹² POB/ha along with cotton seed oil 300 g/ha to kill larvae.
• Spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/lit or B. thuringiensis 2 g/lit
• Provide poison bait with carbaryl 1.25 kg, rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg and water 7.5 lit/ha or spray any one of the following insecticide
• Spray any one of the following insecticides