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Crop Protection :: Pests of Cucurbits

Pumpkin caterpillar: Diaphania indica

Symptoms of damage:

  • Young larva scrapes the cholorophyll content
  • Later on it folds and webs the leaves and feeds within
  • It also feeds on flowers and bores into developing fruits

Identification of pest:

  • Egg: Eggs lay singly or in groups on lower surface of leaves
  • Larva: Bright green with a pair of white mid dorsal lines
  • Pupa: Pupation takes place inside a cocoon among the leaves
  • Adult: Whitish wings with broad and dark marginal patches. Female with tuft of orange coloured hairs at anal end.

 Management:

  • Collect and destroy early stage caterpillars
  • Encourage activity of parasioid: Apanteles spp.
  • Spray any following insecticides
    • Malathion 50 EC @500 ml/ha
    • Dimethoate 30 EC @500 ml/ha
    • Methyl demeton 25 EC @500 ml/ha
Larva Adult
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