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Crop Protection :: Oil Seeds :: Pest of Mustard

Mustard aphid: Lipaphis erysimi


Symptoms of damage
:

  • Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves, buds and pods
  • Curling may occur in infested leaves and at advanced stage plants may wither and die
  • Plants remain stunted and sooty molds grow on the honey dew excreted by the insects
  • The infected filed looks sickly and blighted in appearance

Identification of the pest:

  • Aphids: are small, soft-bodied, pearl-shaped insects that have a pair of cornicles (wax-secreting tubes) projecting out from the fifth or sixth abdominal segment.

Management:

  • Use tolerant varieties like JM-1 and RK-9501
  • Destroy the affected parts along with aphid population in the initial stage
  • The crop sown before 20th October escapes the damage
  • Set up yellow stick trap to monitor aphid population
  • Conserve the following natural enemies: Ladybird beetles viz., Coccinella septempunctata, Menochilus sexmaculata, Hippodamia variegata and Cheilomones vicina thatare most efficient predators of the mustard aphid. Adult beetles may feed on an average of 10-15 adults/day
  • A number of entomogenous fungi, Cephalosporium spp., Entomophthora and Verticillium lecanii infect aphids
  • Several species of syrphid fly i.e., Sphaerophoria spp., Eristallis spp., Metasyrphis spp., Xanthogramma spp and Syrphus spp. are predating on aphids
  • The braconid parasitoid Diaretiella rapae, a very active bio-control agent cause the mummification of aphids
  • The lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea predates on the mustard aphid colony
  • Predatory bird Motacilla cospica is actively feeding over aphids in February-March
  • Spray the crop with one of the following in the flowering stage: oxydemeton methyl, dimethoate @625-1000 ml per ha

 

 

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