Pea pod borers and Leaf Miner

Pea pod borers and Leaf Miner

1. Pea pod borer/ Lentil pod borer, Etiella zinckenella (Phycitidae: Lepidoptera)
  • Distribution : India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
  • Host range : Serious pest of lentil, peas and other pulse crops
Damage
  • Damage is caused by the caterpillars.
  • Feed on floral parts, newly formed pods and seeds inside the developing pods
  • Heavy reduction in the yield.
Identification
  • Newly emerged caterpillars are greenish
  • Full grown larvae are rosy with purpulish tinge
  • The moths are grey with a wing expanse of about 25 mm
  • The forewings have dark marginal lines and orcheous scales.
Life cycle
  • Eggs hatch in 5 days at 25oC,
  • The larval stage is completed in 10-27 days.
  • Pupal development is completed in 10-15 days.
  • Completes five over lapping generations.
Salient features
  • The moths emerge during February-March
  • Lay eggs singly and/or in clusters on various parts
  • The newly emerged larvae feed on floral parts
  • Subsequently bore into the pods and feed on the developing seeds.
  • Pupate in the soil at a depth of 2-4 cm
  • Breeds throughout the year
Management:
  • At flower initiation, spray the crop with deltamethrin @ 0.0028%
  • Insecticides recommended for the control of H. armigera are also effective
2. Tomato fruits borer, Helicoverpa armígera
  • Discussed under the insect pests of tomato.
3. Pea Leaf miner, Chromatomyia horticola (Agromyzidae: Diptera)
  • Hosts: Peas, Brassica crops and some ornamentals.
Damage:
  • Maggots mine in to leaves
  • feed on mesophyll leaving the two epidermal layers intact
  • The mines start from the periphery and ends up towards the mid rib
  • Photosynthesis is considerably reduced
  • Under severe infestation leaves wither away and are shed
  • Flowering and fruiting is reduced considerably.
Identification
  • The eggs are oval, spherical, translucent white when freshly laid but turns dull white before hatching
  • The larva is translucent white and the inverted ‘Y’ shaped oral hook is clearly visible
  • Pupa is fusiform with distinctly defined segments
  • Initially it is light brown but turns dark towards maturity.
  • Adults are two winged flies having grayish black mesonotum.
  • Females are black with brown head
15.1 15.2

Life cycle
  • Incubation is 1-2 days.
  • Larval period is 6 days.
  • Pupal stage lasts for 9-10 days
  • Adult longevity is 27 days (females) and 10 days (males)
  • Mating occur after 1-8 days of emergence
  • A female on an average lays 294 eggs during its life.
Salient features
  • Lay eggs inside the leaf tissue.
  • One egg is laid in one insertion.
  • Most of the eggs are laid near the leaf margin.
  • Pupate inside the mine
Management:
  • Application of oxy- demeton methyl, dimethoate, chlorpyriphos, have been reported effective against this pest.
  • Large number of larval (Diglyphus sp, Neochrysocharis sp, Asecodes spp, etc.) and larval- pupal (Opius sp) parasitoids are active in nature
  • Avoid insecticides when parasitoids are active.
Last modified: Saturday, 3 March 2012, 6:43 AM