Symptoms of damage

• In early stage of crop growth larvae feed on leaves and shoot apices.
• Later, the larvae shift to the developing capitula.
• The symptoms are perforated leaves, perforated involucral bracts, partially or completely eaten capitula in the bud stage and bored developing capitula.

Identification of the pest

• Eggs:  Spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, laid singly
• Larva: Shows colour variation from greenish to brown. It has dark brown grey lines on the body with lateral white lines and also has dark and pale bands.
• Pupa: Brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, pod and crop debris
  
  Adult
• Light pale brownish yellow stout moth.
• Forewings are olive green to pale brown with a dark brown circular spot in the centre.
• Hind wings are pale smoky white with a broad blackish outer margin

Management

• Intercropping with non host crop like wheat or barley.
• Avoid chickpea as intercrop.
• Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.
• Ha NPV can be applied at 250-300 larval equivalents/ha.
• Conserve Campoletis chloridae, Enicospilus sp, etc.
• Spray monochrotophos 750 ml/ha in 600-800 litres of water per hectare.

Symptoms of damage

• The larva feeds on the leaves and sometimes on capitulum too.
• It also feeds on bracts, flowers, capsules.

• Larva: Stout, green and smooth. The anal segment is humped and the body has some purple markings.
• Adult - Dark brown in colour, medium sized moth on; Forewings are dark brown with pale wavy marks; Hind wings are light brown

Management

• Intercropping with non-host crop like wheat.
• Excessive application of nitrogen should be avoided.
• Spraying of carbaryl 50 WP@ 2.5 - 3.00 kg/ha or fenvalerate 20 EC @ 250 ml/ha.

Symptoms of damage

• Newly hatched larvae feed on the soft parts of the capsules
• Affected buds show small bore holes
• The infested buds rotten with a foul smelling ooze coming out  of the apices

Identification of the pest

• Larva:  Maggot is dirty white in colour
• Adult: Flies are ash coloured with light brown legs.

Management

• Application of dimethoate 30 EC @ 600-650 ml/ha or malathion 50 EC @ 1.00 litre/ha or phosphomidon 100 EC@ 150-200 ml/ha. About 600 to 650 litre of water is needed for spraying in about one hectare area.

Symptoms of damage

• Curling and yellowing of tender leaves
• Secrete honey dew like secretion on upper surface of the leaves and plant parts forming a black sooty mold which hinders photosynthetic activity resulting in stunted growth
• Finally the plants dry up.

• Nymphs - Reddish brown. Adults - Large sized, black with pear-shaped body and conspicuous cornicles.

Management

• Avoid late sowing.
• If the attack is observed in the border rows take control measures.
• Avoid excess use of nitrogen.
• Maintain 2 or 3 rows of Maize and Sorghum around the fields.
• Release of Chrysoperla eggs/grubs @ 1-2/plant.
• Conserve Aphidencyrtus aphidivorus, Micromus cinearis, Ischiodon scutellaris, Harmonia octomaculat and Aphelinus sp
• Spray dimethoate 30 EC @ 750 ml/ha,40 and 60 days after sowing or monochrotophos 0.05%. Use 500 litres of spray mixture and 20 kg dust formulation/ ha.