PEANUT CROP INSECTS A PRESENTATION TO IPM COURSE/FFS

PARTICIPANTS BY

MR. ALLAH DAD KHAN PROVINCIAL COORDINATOR IPM KPK FOR

MINFAL PAKISTAN

GROUNDNUTSCIENTIFIC NAME: ARACHIS HYPOGEAFAMILY: FABACEAE

Red Hairy caterpillars: Amsacta albistriga, A. moorei

Caterpillars cause defoliation of the crop- all the leaves eaten away leaving the main stem alone

Symptoms of damage: Larva Feeding

Red Hairy caterpillars: Amsacta albistriga, A. moorei

Larvae: Hairy caterpillar reddish brown with black band on either end having long reddish brown hairs all over the body.

Adult: Moth with white wings. Forewings are white with brownish streak all over and yellowish streak along the anterior margin and head. Hind wings are white with black marking

Identification of the pest:

Groundnut leaf miner:   Aproaerema modicella

Young larvae initially mine into the leaflets, feed on the mesophyll and form small brown blotches on the leaf

Later stages larvae web the leaflets together and feed on them, remaining within the folds

Severely attacked field looks "burnt" from a distance

Symptoms of damage:

Groundnut leaf miner:   Aproaerema modicella

Eggs: Shiny white and are laid singly on the underside of the leaflets.

Larvae: Green in colour with dark head and prothroax

Adult: Brownish grey moth, 6 mm long with 10 mm wing span. Forewings with white spot on the costal margin

Identification of the pest:

hairy caterpillar: Spilosoma (Diacrisia) obliqua

Young larvae feed gregariously mostly on the under surface of the leaves

Feed on leaves and causes defoliation

In severe cases only stems are left behind

Symptoms of damage:

hairy caterpillar: Spilosoma (Diacrisia) obliqua

Eggs: Laid in clusters of 50-100 on the lower side of leaves

Larva: Orange coloured with broad transverse band with tufts of yellow hairs that are dark at both ends

Pupa:  Forms a thin silken cocoon by interwoven shed hairs of the larvae             

Adult: Crimson coloured moth with black dots and a red abdomen. Pinkish wings with numerous black spots

Identification of the pest:

Gram pod borer: Helicoverpa armigera

Larvae feed on the foliage, prefers flowers and buds

When tender leaf buds are eaten symmetrical holes or cuttings can be seen upon unfolding of leaflets

Symptoms of damage:

Gram pod borer: Helicoverpa armigera

Eggs: Spherical in shape and creamy white in colour, present 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.

Identification of the pest:

Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura

Freshly hatched larvae feed gregariously, scraping the chlorophyll, soon disperse

Sometimes the feeding is so heavy that only petioles and branches are left behind

Symptoms of damage:

Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura

Egg: Egg masses appear golden brown

Larva: Pale greenish with dark marking. Gregarious in the early stages

Adult: Forewings are brown colour with wavy white marking, Hind wings are white colour with a brown patch along the margin

 

Identification of the pest:

Groundnut bud borer: Anarsia ephippias

The larva bores into the terminal buds and shoots and tip of the stem

 The tender leaflets emerging from central spindle will show shot-hole symptoms initially

 In severe infestation emerging leaflets will have only the midribs or several oblong feeding holes

Symptoms of damage:

Groundnut bud borer: Anarsia ephippias

Larvae:  Chocolate brown in color and 10-15 mm long

Identification of the pest:

Aphids: Aphis craccivora 

 Symptoms of damage:

Wilting of tender shoots during hot weather

Stunting and distortion of the foliage and stems

They excrete honeydew on which sooty molds flow forming a black coating

Act as vector for peanut stripe virus and groundnut rosette virus complex

Aphids: Aphis craccivora 

Nymphs and Adult: Reddish to dark brown coloured with cornicles in the abdomen

Identification of the pest:

Jassids: Empoasca kerri

Nymphs and adults inject toxins resulting in whitening of veins and chlorotic patches especially at the tips of leaflets, in a typical 'V' shape.

Heavily attacked crop looks yellow and gives a scorched appearance known as 'hopper burn'.

Symptoms of damage:

Adult: Elongate, active, wedge shape, green insects

Identification of the pest

Jassids: Empoasca kerri

Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis

 

Tender leaves showing yellowish green patches on the upper surface and brown necrotic areas and silvery sheen on the lower surface

Severe infestations cause stunted plants

Symptoms of damage:

Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis

Nymphs: Yellowish

Adults: Dark coloured with fringed wings

Identification of the pest:

Jewel beetle: Sphenoptera indica

        of plants in patches

The grub burrows into the stem close to the soil surface and kills the plant

Infested fields show dead and dying plants, which when pulled up and examined grub/pupa can be seen in hollowed stem

Symptoms of damage:Wilting

Jewel beetle: Sphenoptera indica

Slow movers having globular head and elongated, dorso-ventrally flattened body

Adult:  Shiny beetle, 10 mm long and 3 mm wide

Identification of pest:Larvae: 

Termites:  Odontotermes spp  

   

Wilting of plants in patches Termites penetrate and hollow out

the tap root and stem thus kill the plant.

Bore holes into pods and damage the seed.

It removes the soft corky tissue from between the veins of pods causing scarification, weaken the shells, make them liable to entry and growth of Aspergillus flavus that produces aflotoxins

Symptoms of damage:

Termites:  Odontotermes spp  

The termites are endemic in red and sandy soils.

These are social insects, live in termataria, in distinct castes, workers, king and queen.

Workers' are small (4 mm) and have a soft, white body and a brown head  

Identification of the pest:

White grubs : Holotrichia consanguinea, Holotrichia serrata

grubs feed roots and damage pods.

Grubs feed on fine rootlets, resulting in pale wilted plants, dying in patches.

Symptoms of damage:The

White grubs : Holotrichia consanguinea, Holotrichia serrata

Eggs:  White, almost round.

Larvae:  Young grubs are translucent, whitish yellow in colour , fleshy  ‘C’ – shaped

Adults: Dark brown beetle. Beetles emerge out of the soil within 3-4 days after the onset of rain

Identification of the pest:

Pod borer:  Anisolabis stalli

Young pods showing bore holes plugged with excreta

Sand particles or discoloured pulps

Pods without kernal.

Symptoms of damage:

Pod borer:  Anisolabis stalli

Nymph: White in early stages and later turns brown

Adult: Dark brown to black with forceps like caudal cerci and white leg joints

Identification of the pest:

Pod bug: Elasmolomus - Aphanus sordidus

Freshly harvested pods having shriveled kernels

Symptoms of damage

Pod bug: Elasmolomus - Aphanus sordidus

Nymph: Pinkish Adult: Dark

brown bugs

Identification of the pest: