• Field infestation

  • Plants look devitalized, pale and withered before drying completely.
  • In such cases at the time of harvest minute yellowish crawlers can be seen moving in large numbers and this is the potential stage of dissemination.

Identification of pest:

Storage infestation

• In Initial stage of infestation in, the white coloured scales are seen scattered on rhizomes and latter they congregate near the growing buds.
• When the infestation is severe the rhizome and buds shrivel and ultimately the entire rhizome dries.

Adult

• Female: scales are circular (about 1mm diameter) and light brown to gray and appear as encrustations on the rhizomes.
• Male is orange coloured with transparent wings, distinct head, thorax and abdomen.

• Discard and do not store severely infested rhizomes
• Collect and destroy damaged leaves
• Select healthy rhizomes free from scale infestation for seed materials
• Treat seed material with quinalphos 0.075% (for 20-30 minutes) before storage and also before sowing in case the infestation persists.
• Apply well rotten sheep manure @ 10 t/ ha in two splits or poultry  manure in 2 splits followed by drenching dimethoate 30 EC @ 2 ml or phosalone 35 EC @  2ml /lit of water