Arvind Kumar and Rishi Pal

Control

Sustainable integrated pest management

of vegetable crops

Vegetables crops like brinjal, okra, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, beans and
cucurbit are important vegetables cultivated in India. Several biotic and abiotic
factors limit the productivity of vegetables, mainly disease and insect pests.
Because of high susceptibility of vegetables to insects, farmers tend to apply
chemicals for protective purposes. Also their high profitability combined with a
lack of knowledge among the farmers has often led to improper use and hand
of synthetic insecticides. This has resulted in great hazards to the environment
and ecological consequences like destruction of natural enemy fauna, ill-effect
on non-target organisms, residues in consumable product and the health of uses
and imbalance between the insect pests and their natural enemies.

I NDIA ranks second in the production of vegetables after

china. The existing area under vegetable cultivation in
India is around 4-5 million ha. During the last 50 years,
Crop location: Crop diversity can be affected by
varying the type of crops growing in adjacent field. Many
insects can move quickly from one field to the next and
there is tremendous increase in vegetable production between botanically related crops to obtain their requisite?
and therefore, India is largest vegetable producer with Large-scale monoculturing of cotton, paddy, sugarcane
an estimated production of about 162.9 million tonnes and vegetable crop in India has resulted in a rapid
from 9.40 million ha (Horticulture Statistics at as Glance increase in number and intensity of insect pest.
Database, 2015). For the period, the total vegetable Sanitation Tillage/removal of weeds: Destroying
production was higest in case of West Bengal (23.045 or removing crop residues from fields is to eliminate pests,
thousand tonnes), followed by Uttar Pradesh (18.60 over wintering sites and reduce the spread of infestation.
thousand tonnes), during 2013-14. India contributes This may be achieved by ploughing directly or shredding,
13.38% of total world production of vegetable. India chopping, burning residue or raking and scooping them
occupies first position in cauliflower, second in onion and into piles for burning. Ploughing and tillage also expose
third in cabbage production in world. The importance of soil-inhibiting insects and destroy volunteer plants and
vegetables as protective food and as supplier of adequate weeds that provide breeding sites for many pests. Summer
quantities of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and ploughing results in high mortality of cutworms, white
minerals in human diets is known throughout the world. grubs, grasshoppers and many soil inhabiting caterpillars
In near future, there is need of around 5-6 million tonnes and beetles.
of food to feed our billion Indian population. Adjusting sowing/harvesting times: Infestation by
some pests can be avoided by adjusting the time of crop
Integrated pest management in vegetable crops planting. The best example is sowing chickpea or mustard
The most important consideration of integrated pest early in the season to avoid pod bores and aphid attack in
management is that we should not depend on any one respective crops. Similarly, by adjusting time of harvesting,
method for pest control. All options must be carefully crop can be saved from the attack of pest, which might
considered. become abundant later in the season.
Surveys and surveillance and monitoring: Seed rate: Adoption of appropriate seed rate ensure
Timely and precise detection of insects with respect to proper stand, spacing and crop canopy and checks the
their distribution and abundance on the related crops, unwanted growth of crop. High seed rate is recommended
will generate reliable data to support the specific kinds where removal of infested plants is helpful in minimising
of control/management programmes. the incidence of insect pests viz. maize borer in maize.
Cultural control: Cultural control is a purposeful Low seed rate along with untimely rain and high
manipulation of the environment in order to made temperature during sowing, drought conditions, favours
it less favourable to pests and at the same time more termite attack.
favourable to their natural enemies. It is based mainly on Crop rotation: Farmers with their long experience
modifications in the time and manner of field operation have learnt to reduce pest problems by carefully rotating
for raising the crops. Cultural control is one of the older the crop belonging to one family with one of a different
and cheapest modes of pest suppression. family. This practice is still very relevant. Rotating

January–February 2020 7
Table 1. Tolerant varieties of some vegetables crops

Crop Pest Varieties

Tomato Fruit borer (H. armigera) Arka Vikash, Pusa Gaurav, Pusa Early Dwrf, Punjab Keshri, Punjab Chhuhra, Pant Bahar,
Azad, Avinash-2, Hemsona, Krishna, Sartaj
Brinjal Shoot and fruit borer (L. SM17-4, PBr 129-5 Punjab Barsati, ARV 2-C, Pusa Purple Round, Punjab Neelam,
orbnalis), Aphid, jassid, Kalyanpur-2, Punjab Chamkila, Gote-2, PBR-91, GB-1 GB-6
thrips, whitefly
Cabbage Aphid (Brevicoryne brossica) All season, Red Drum Head, Sure Head, Express Mail

Cauliflower Stem borer (Hellula undalis) Early Patha, EMS-3, KW-5, KW-8, Kathmandu Local

Okra Jassid (Amrasca biguttula) PBR-2, PBR-6, Arka Niketan, Pusa Rathar, PBR-4, PBR-5, PBR-6

Onion Thrips (thrips tabaci) PBR-2, PBR-6, Arka Niketan, Pusa Rathar, PBR-4, PBR-5, PBR-6

Round gourd Fruit fly (B. Cucurbitae) Arka Tinda

Pumpkin Arka Tinda

Arka Suryamukhi
Bitter gourd
Hissar-11

Table 2. Pheromones and their purpose against insect pest

Host plant Insect pest Pheromone Purpose

Tobacco, cotton, Tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Z, E) 9,11-Tetradecadenyl acetate and (Z, E) Monitoring and mass
vegetables 9,12-dienyl acetate trapping
Okra Spotted bollworm, Earias spp. (E,E) 10,12-Hexadecadienal Monitoring
Cabbage Thysanopulsia orchalcea (Z) 7-Dodecenyl acetate Monitoring
Cucurbits Bactrocera cucurbitae 4(p-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanoyl acetate Monitoring

groundnut with maize will reduce the attack of white collected and killed. Hand picking of hairy caterpillars,
grubs. leaf rollers, tobacco caterpillars, cabbage butterfly,
Intercropping: Growing of two or more crops mustard saw fly, white grubs, may reduce the damage.
together helps in alleviating certain pest problems by Light trap: Light traps for attracting and mass killing
making micro-climate less favourable for pest. It also of several species of moths and beetles are used as a
hinders the free movement of pests amongst the plants control measure as some insects are phototaxic. The traps
of some species and those increasing the environmental could be useful for monitoring the population of important
resistance for the pest. insect pest in an area.
Trap crop: The trap crop must be distinctly more Pheromone trap: A recent approach involves
attractive to the pest than the main crop. For example the development of haloacetate analogous of natural
African marigold against fruit borer in tomato is a very pheromones of a number of insects.
effective trap crop. Planting Indian mustard as a trap
crop for the management of insect pest of cruciferous Biological control
vegetable is effective. Parasitoid
Water and fertilizer management: High levels of Parasitoid means parasite like. Although, parasitoids
nitrogen fertilizers significantly increase the incidence of are similar to true parasites which are generally much
most of the insect pest including yellow stem borer, leaf smaller than their hosts.
folder, green leaf hopper in rice; leaf folder, white fly and
boll worm in cotton; internode, stalk borer and pyrilla in Predators
sugarcane. They consume several to many preys over the course
Host plant resistance: Managing insects’ pests and of their development. They are free living, and they are
diseases using resistant plant varieties is perhaps most usually as big or bigger than their prey. Examples include
effective economical and environment friendly way. Ladybird beetles, Chrysoperla carnea.
Resistance varieties are of special significance for India,
where holdings are small and farmers are not equipped Pathogen
to take up other methods and pest control. Microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa
Mechanical: It involves use of mechanical or manual and nematodes develop diseases to the pest and thus help
operation and mechanical barriers for the control of in killing pest. This includes
pests. Hand picking and destruction of inactive adults, Fungus: Beauveria bassiana, Metarrhizium anisopliae,
conspicuous egg mass and large sized larvae can be Nomuraea relyie - Used for soft bodied insects, soil dwellers

8 Indian Horticulture
Table 3. Biocontrol agents recommended in vegetable crops

Bioagent Dose Target pest

Trichogramma brossilinsis 2,50,000 parasitized eggs/ha (Inundative release) Okra shoot and fruit borer tomato fruit borer

Chrysoperla Zastrowi Arabica 50,000 first instar larvae/ha (weekly release) Okra aphid, Cabbage aphid

HNPV 250 LE/ha (10 days interval) Tomato fruit borer

SNPV 250 LE/ha ( 10 days interval) Spodoptera litura

Bacillus thuringienesis 500 g ai/ha (10 days interval Diamondback moth, Shoot and fruit borer of brinjal
and okra, Tomoto fruit borer

Kairomones Effect Natural enemies

Tricosane Preconditionong and reinforcing agent Chrysopid (increased predation

Alpha- Tryptophan Ovipositional attractrant Singh (2001) Chrysopid, Trichogramma, Coccinellid (Increased
ovipositing)

and lepidopterous larvae. Spraying of B. bassiana 1x104 Integrated pest management of vegetables crops
cfu/g two times with a week interval satisfactorily managed Pests of brinjal
whitefly nymphs and adults. Spraying of B. bassiana @ 2.5 Shoot and fruit borer (Leuciniodes orbonalis Guenee)
kg/ha was found effective against shoot and fruit borer, The major host plants of the pest are Brinjal. The
L. orbonalis in brinjal and in okra also found effective young caterpillars bore into the tender shoots near
against Earias sp. the growing points, flower buds or the fruits. A single
Bacteria: B. thuringienesis - Used against diamond caterpillar may destroy as many as 4-6 fruits. Attacked
black borer, fruit and shoot borer of brinjal. Bt @ 0.5 kg/ fruits become unfit for consumption and marketing.
ha + removal and destruction of infested twigs fruits and Infestation up to 70% has been recorded.
fallen leaves were found most effective against shoot and
fruit borer, L. orbonalis in brinjal and application of Bt in Brinjal stem borer (Euzophera perticella Rag.)
okra was found effective against Earias sp. The caterpillars cause the damage and feed exclusively
Virus: Ha-NPV - Used against tomato fruit borer in the main stem. It enters the main stem and makes
while S-NPV- is used against tobacco caterpillar. Ha NPV tunnel, which result either in stunting of growth or wilting
@ 300 LE was found effective against tomato fruit borer, of whole plant, prior to yellowing of leaves.
H. armigera. The sprays of Ha NPV at 250 larval
equivalents/ha has been found to be effective in Pests of tomato
controlling fruit borer. Tomato fruit borer (Helicoverpa armigera Hub.)
The major host plants of the pest are okra, onion,
Entomopathogenic nematodes brinjal, potato, chillies, tomato, cowpea, beans, gram,
Nematodes associated with insects that parasitize, cause maize, cotton, pea, pigeon pea etc. The younger larvae
disease and kill the insects are called Entomopathogenic feed initially on the foliage for a while and later bore into
nematodes (EPN). Infective juveniles penetrate the host the green fruits. The larva while feeding, thrusts its head
via natural body openings, such as mouth, anus, spiracles into the fruit leaving the rest of its body outside. Early
and/or also directly through cuticle. The symbiotic instars feed on leaves and fruiting bodies. Later they bore
bacteria is released in the haemocoel of the host insect, into fruits.
causing septicaemia and death of the host, usually within Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura F.)
24–48 h of infection. Major host plants of this pest are brinjal, cabbage,
cauliflower, capsicum, cucurbits, okra, Phaseolus, potato,
Botanicals sweet potato and species of Vigna and other wild hosts.
NSKE sprays are recommended on a variety of crops After hatching, the larvae feed gregariously together and
such as cabbage, cauliflower, tomato and cucurbits against later they spread out and feed individually.
all pests, on tomato and cucurbits against serpentine leaf Serpentine leaf miner (Liriomyza trifolii Burgess)
miner, and on beans against stem fly, Ophiomyia phaseoli. Major host plants of the pest are okra, onion,
In cabbage and cauliflower, NSKE sprays provided cucurbits, beans, potato, brinjal, crucifers and other crops.
excellent control of all the pests and the crop could be Damage is due to mining into leaves and petiole by the
raised without a single insecticide application larva. The photosynthetic ability of the plants is often
greatly reduced as the chlorophyII – containing cells are
Selection of chemicals may sustain the IPM system destroyed. Severely infested leaves dry up and fall.
These insecticides should be used considering Whiteflies: (Bemisia tabaci Gene.)
certain aspect like waiting period of chemical, economic The major host plants the pest are okra, crucifers,
threshold level and initiation of control measures through cucurbits and solanaceous crops. On hatching, the first
pheromone /light trap catches. instars larva (only mobile stage) or crawler moves to a

January–February 2020 9
suitable feeding site on the lower leaf surface where it Pests of malvaceous vegetables
moults and becomes stationary throughout the remaining Pests of okra
sates. Shoot and fruit borer (Earias vittella F.)
It is a major pest of Malvaceous crops like okra and
Pest of chilli cotton. Both nymphs and adults of leafhoppers are seen
Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) on the underside of the leaf sucking the sap. The initial
This is a polyphagous pest. Besides chillies, it feeds symptoms of leafhopper damage are yellowing of leaves,
on tomato, cotton, castor, sunflower, mango and citrus. followed by crinking around the margins and upward
The nymphs and adults lacerate and suck the cell sap curling of leaves. Severely affected plants have stunted
from leaves and tender parts of the plants and causes growth.
the leaves to shrivel and curl upward. In case of severe Red Spider mites: (Tetranychus urticae Koch)
infestation, there is a malformation of leaves, buds and The pest is polyphagous and is known to feed on
fruits. The attacked shoots hardly develop and the leaves more than 150 species of plants including cucurbits, brinjal
fall off. They are also responsible for transmitting the leaf and okra etc. The damage is caused both by nymphs and
curl disease in chillies. adults. A large number of webs are formed on the leaves
under which the pest sucks the cell sap. The affected
Cruciferous Vegetables leaves dry up and finally wither away giving unhealthy
Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) appearances. Webbing interferes with the plant growth
P. xylostella is considered as the main insect pest of and reduction in yield.
crucifers, particularly cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
The newly hatched larvae cause serious damage to crops Pest of cucurbits
like cabbage, cauliflower by scrapping the leaf tissues, Melon fruit fly (Dacus cucurbitae Coq.)
and they grow older, bite holes in them and render the B. cucurbitae is a serious pest of cucurbitaceous crops
vegetables unfit for human consumption. particularly bitter gourd and musk melon and have dark
patch on the outer margins of their wings. The larvae
Cabbage caterpillar (Pieris brassicae L.)
tunnel in the fruit, contaminating them with frass and
The major host plants of this pest are cabbage,
providing entry points for fungi and bacteria, which cause
cauliflower, other cruciferous vegetables and mustard.
the fruit to rot. The infestation varies from 50-100% in
Freshly hatched caterpillars scrape the leaf surface. The
different cucurbitaceous crops.
older larvae eat up the leaves from margins, leaving intact
Red pumpkin beetle (Raphidopalpa foveicollis Lucas)
the main vein. Sometimes all the leaves of entire plant
The host plants of this pest are pumpkin,
are eaten away.
cucumber, ash guard, bitter gourd and melons. The grubs
Cabbage head borer (Hellula undalis F.)
live in soil feeding on roots and underground stems of
It is major pest of cole crops in tropical and subtropical
vines and sometimes on fruits in contact with the soil. the
regions. Younger seedlings are most susceptible to the
beetles feed on aerial parts of the plants like cotyledons,
attack of these pests. The caterpillar in initial first two
flowers and foliage by biting holes into them. The damage
instars mine the leaves. Later on, they feed on the leaf
by beetles is detrimental to the cotyledon stage of the
surface and bore into the heads of the cauliflower and
seedlings.
cabbage.
Leaf eating caterpillar (Diaphania indica Saunders)
Cabbage semilooper (Thysanoplusia orichalcea F.)
It is an irregular and sporadic pest of cucurbits
It is a polyphagous pest and defoliates a wide range
becoming serious currently on cucumber, gherkins and
of crop plants such as cabbage, turnip, lettuce, cotton,
bitter gourd. Initially after hatching, caterpillars feed
chicory groundnut, sun hemp, tobacco, sunflower, tomato,
on the leaves by binding them together. Some time the
potato, chickpea and soybean. The younger larvae infect
flowers are also infested. The vines are cut from one side
damage by biting holes into the leaves. The later stages
and the terminal parts become yellowish and dry up.
larvae completely defoliate the plant during severe
Despite use of pesticides, insect pests and diseases
infestation.
cause considerable losses in vegetables. Moreover, many
Aphids (Myzus persicae sulzer and Brevicoryne brassicae L.)
insect pests have developed resistance to insecticides
Aphids appear in November and remain active till
used to control them, implying repeated applications
April. Both nymphs and adults are similar in appearance.
of insecticides and increase in the cost of protection,
Direct feeding on young growth leads to wilting of plants.
secondary outbreak and pest resurgence. There is a need
Early attack may lead to stunted growth. Symptoms
to realize to potential of indigenous bio-control agents and
of viruses transmitted by B. brassicae include mosaic,
attention should be given to conserve them. The newer
chlorotic and necrotic lesions on leaves. M. persicae is the
technologies and practices embedded in IPM provide
most important aphid virus vector. It has been shown to
better protection against insect pests; improve crop yields
transmit well over 100 plant virus diseases.
and net benefits to the farmers.
Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura F.)
Major host plants of this pest are brinjal, cabbage,
cauliflower, capsicum, cucurbits, okra, phaseolus, potato, For further interaction please write to:
sweet potato and species of Vigna and other wild hosts. Arvind Kumar and Rishi Pal, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University
Larvae are very active at night. Heavy infestation in the of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh 250 110.
*Corresponding author E-mail: arvindadr88@[Link]
form of outbreaks can severely defoliate the crop.

10 Indian Horticulture