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         Crop Protection :: Pests of Banana
 
 
          
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                BORERSRhizome weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus
 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Grubs bore into the rhizome and cause death of the plantPresence of dark coloured tunnels in the rhizomes.Death of unopened pipe, withering of outer leaves. |  
                  
                    
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                      | Grub bore hole | Corm damage      | Stem Damage |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                        Eggs - laid singly, white in colourpresent on the upper part of rhizomeGrub - Apodous, yellowish white with red headPupa - white in colour, occur in inside the corm and tunnelingAdult - Dark weevil, newly emerged weevil is red brown | 
                      
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                        | Pupa | Adult |  |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Select healthy sucker and plantDo not take regular crop in the same field to avoid initial infestationEnsure clean cultivationRemoval of pseudo stems below ground levelTrimming the rhizomeAvoid growing Robusta, Karpooruvally, Malbhog, Champa and AdukkarGrow less susceptible varieties like Poovan, Kadali, Kunnan, PoomkalliUse cosmolure trap at 5/ha |  Banana corm split trap 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                        Trap adult weevils with pseudostem chopped into small pieceskept near infested clump at 65/ha.Soil incorporation at the time of planting: carbofuran 3 G 10g, phorate 10 G 5 g/plant, lindane 1.3 D 20 g/plant.Before planting, the suckers should be dipped in 0.1 per cent quinalphos emulsion.Apply castor cake 250g or carbaryl 50g dust or phorate 10g per pit before planting also prevents infestationSevere attack dimethoate, methyl demeton, or phosphamidon may be sprayed around the collar region. |   Pseudostem borer, Odoiporus longicollis  
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                        Grub bore into pseudostem making tunnelsCutting holes on outer surfaceExudation of plant sap – initial symptomBlackened mass comes out from the bore hole Tunneled part decomposes and pseudostem becomes weakWilting of the plant. | 
                      
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                        | Bore holes on pseudostem |  |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                        Eggs – are laid at random on cut ends of pseudostem, yellowish-white, cylindrical in shapeGrub - Apodous, creamy white with dark brown head.Pupa – pale yellow colour, fibrous cocoon formed inside the tunneling on the peripheryAdult - Robust, reddish brown and black weevil. | 
                      
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                        | Adult |  |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Remove dried leaves periodically and keep the field cleanPrune the side suckers every monthUse healthy and pest free suckers to check the pest incidenceDo not dump infested materials into manure pitUproot infested trees, chop into pieces and burnUse longitudinally split pseudostem trap at 65/ha Note  
                      2ml at 45 cm from ground level; another  2m at 150 cm from ground level |  SAP FEEDERS
 Banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa f. typica
 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Leaves are bunched into a rosette appearanceLeaf margins are wavy and upward rolling              Stunted growth of the plantDo not produce bunchesVector of bunchy top disease.Seen in colonies on leaf axils and pseudostem | 
                      
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                        | Banana bunchy top |  |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                        Nymphs - are dark in colourAdult – Brownish and has black veined wings | 
                      
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                        | Aphids on under surface of leaves | Winged adult |  |    
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Ensure clean cultivationUse healthy and pest free suckers to check the pest incidence   Destroy diseased plants with rhizomeDirect the spray towards the crown and pseudostem base upto ground levelEncourage activity of predators:Scymnus, Chilomenes sexmaculatus, Chrysoperla carnea and other coccinellids;Use entomopathogens, Beauveria bassiana |   Tingid or Lace wing bug, Stephanitis typicus  
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Grubs bore into the rhizome and cause death of the plantPresence of dark coloured tunnels in the rhizomes.Death of unopened pipe, withering of outer leaves. |  
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                        | Yellowish spots on leaves | Adult | Leaf Spot |  |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                      Nymphs – are yellow colour, occur in under surfaceAdult – yellow colour with minute fringed wings, seen in under surface of leaves |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Collect and destroy the damaged leaves, flowers and fruits along with life stagesSpraying with dimethoate 30 EC - 850 ml/ha or phosphamidon 85 WSC - 300 ml/haUse yellow sticky trap at 15/haSpray carbendazim 3g/ litre of water Application of press mud at 5 kg per tree reduces the wilt incidence |   Hard scale, Aspidiotus destructor 
 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Grubs bore into the rhizome and cause death of the plantPresence of dark coloured tunnels in the rhizomes.Death of unopened pipe, withering of outer leaves. |  
                  
                    
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                      | Banana scale |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                      Nymph - Oval translucent, Yellowish brown with waxy coating.Adult - Female circular, semi transparent and pale brown. | 
                      
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                        | Adult and crawlers |  |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Collect and destroy the affected plant partsField release of coccinelid predators like Chilocorus nigritus, Symnus coccivora |   Fruit rust thrips, Chaetanaphothrips signipennis 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Rusty reddish discolouration on the fingersYellowing of leaves and rusty growth over fruit. |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                      Adult - Yellowish white with shaded wings. |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Destroy all volunteer plants and old neglected plantationsUse healthy and pest free suckers for plantingHot water treatment prior to planting.Bunch covers (which cover the full length of the bunch) protection applied very early.Regular checking of fruit under the bunch covers is essential to ensure that damageBunches, pseudostem and the suckers should be sprayed chlorpyrifosSoil application fipronil and bifenthrinField release of coccinelid predators like lacewings, ladybird beetles |  LEAF FEEDERSCastor hairy caterpillar, Pericallia ricini
 
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                        Caterpillar scraping the chlorophyll content and windowing in unfurled leaves. |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                        Larva - Black with brown head having long brown hairsAdult - Grey coloured with dark spots on the pinkish hind wings. | 
                      
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                        | Pericallia ricini |  |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Collect and destroy egg masses and caterpillarsUse burning torch to kill the congregating larvaeUse light trap to attract and kill the adultsSpray chlorpyriphos 20 EC or quinalphos 25 EC 2ml/lit |   Cut worm, Spodoptera litura  
                  
                    | Symptoms of damage |  
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                      Young larvae feed by scrapping the leaves from ventral surfaceLater on feed voraciously at night on the foliage. |  
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                        | Scrabbing of larvae |  |  
                  
                    | Identification of pest |  
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                      Larva - Pale greenish brown with dark marking.Yellow and purplish spots in the sub marginal areas. Fore wing - Stout moth with wavy white markings on the brown.Hind wings - white having a brown patch along the margin. |  
                  
                    | Management |  
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                      Hank pick and destroy the caterpillarCollect and destroy the damaged plant partsSummer ploughing to expose to the pupaeUse light trap 1/haSpray application of azinphosethyl, chlorphyriphos Severe infestation – spot application of BtFoliar spray with avanthe 1 ml in 100 ml of water 
                        Field release of egg parasitoid
                          
                        Field release of entomopathogenic fungus, Nomuraea rileyi | 
                      
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                        | Larva | Adult |  |  
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