Here are the scientific names, family, order, damaging stage, nature of damage, oviposition, pupation site, and management strategies for the pests that commonly affect chili trees:
1. Chilli Thrips:
- Scientific Name: Scirtothrips dorsalis
- Family: Thripidae
- Order: Thysanoptera
- Damaging Stage: Adults and nymphs
- Nature of Damage: Feeding on leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits, causing silvering, scarring, distortion, and premature fruit drop.
- Oviposition: Female thrips lay eggs within plant tissues, including leaves and stems.
- Pupation Site: Pupation occurs within the soil or plant debris.
- Management: Integrated pest management (IPM) practices including cultural controls (sanitation, removal of infested plant material), biological controls (predatory mites, beneficial insects), and chemical controls (insecticides).
2. Chilli Fruit Borer (Helicoverpa):
- Scientific Name: Helicoverpa armigera (also known as Helicoverpa zea)
- Family: Noctuidae
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Damaging Stage: Larvae (caterpillars)
- Nature of Damage: Larvae bore into fruits, causing damage to seeds and resulting in fruit rot and drop. They also feed on leaves and flower buds.
- Oviposition: Female moths lay eggs on the leaves and developing fruits.
- Pupation Site: Pupation usually occurs in the soil or within a cocoon in plant debris.
- Management: IPM practices, including the use of pheromone traps, cultural controls (removal of infested fruits), biological controls (parasitoid wasps, predators), and targeted insecticide applications.
3. Mites (Tetranychus urticae, Polyphagotarsonemus latus):
- Scientific Names:
- Tetranychus urticae (Two-spotted spider mite)
- Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Broad mite)
- Family: Tetranychidae (for Tetranychus urticae); Tarsonemidae (for Polyphagotarsonemus latus)
- Order: Trombidiformes
- Damaging Stage: Nymphs and adults
- Nature of Damage: Mites suck plant sap, causing chlorosis, yellowing, stippling, and eventually leaf drop. Severe infestations can lead to reduced fruit quality and yield.
- Oviposition: Female mites lay eggs on the undersides of leaves.
- Pupation Site: Mites do not have a pupal stage; they molt into the next life stage.
- Management: IPM practices such as regular monitoring, cultural controls (removal of infested leaves), biological controls (predatory mites, beneficial insects), and targeted acaricide (mite-specific insecticide) applications.
