1. Thrips:
- Scientific name:
- Order: Thysanoptera
- Family: Thripidae
- Damaging stage: Adults and nymphs
- Nature of damage: Feeding on leaves and flowers, causing silvering, distortion, and scarring. Some species also transmit plant viruses.
- Oviposition: Females lay eggs inside plant tissues.
- Pupation site: Pupate in the soil or plant debris.
- Management: Cultural practices like removing weeds and infected plant parts, biological control using predatory mites or insects, and insecticidal sprays targeted at the adult or nymph stages.
2. Mites (Spider Mites):
- Scientific name:
- Order: Acari
- Family: Tetranychidae
- Damaging stage: Adults and nymphs
- Nature of damage: Piercing-sucking mouthparts used to feed on plant sap, causing stippling, yellowing, bronzing, and leaf drop. Webbing may also be present.
- Oviposition: Eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves.
- Pupation site: N/A (Mites do not undergo complete metamorphosis)
- Management: Cultural practices like maintaining good plant vigor, biological control using predatory mites or insects, and the use of miticides.
3. Whitefly:
- Scientific name:
- Order: Hemiptera
- Family: Aleyrodidae
- Damaging stage: Adults and nymphs (known as crawlers)
- Nature of damage: Feeding on plant sap causes yellowing, wilting, and stunting. Honeydew excreted by whiteflies promotes the growth of sooty mold.
- Oviposition: Females lay eggs on the undersides of leaves.
- Pupation site: Pupae are found on the undersides of leaves.
- Management: Cultural practices like removing infected plant parts, biological control using predatory insects like ladybugs or parasitic wasps, and the use of insecticidal soaps or oils.
4. Bud Borer:
- Scientific name:
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Varies depending on the species.
- Damaging stage: Larvae (caterpillars)
- Nature of damage: Bore into buds, flowers, or shoots, causing wilting, necrosis, and reduced flower quality.
- Oviposition: Eggs are laid on the plant parts.
- Pupation site: Larvae pupate inside the damaged plant tissues or nearby soil.
- Management: Cultural practices like removing infested buds or shoots, biological control using natural predators or parasites, and the use of targeted insecticides.
5. Leaf Miner:
- Scientific name:
- Orders: Lepidoptera or Diptera
- Family: Varies depending on the species.
- Damaging stage: Larvae (miners)
- Nature of damage: Tunnel and feed inside leaves, creating distinctive mines or galleries. This leads to leaf discoloration, blotches, and reduced photosynthesis.
- Oviposition: Eggs are laid on the leaf surface.
- Pupation site: Larvae pupate inside the mined leaf or drop to the ground to pupate in the soil.
- Management: Cultural practices like removing infested leaves, biological control using parasitic wasps or predatory beetles, and the use of insecticides targeted at the larval stage.
