MAJOR PESTS IN CHILLI CROPS; Symptoms and their management

INTRODUCTION

Chilli is an important spice and cash crop grown globally. It is valued for its culinary, medicinal, and economic importance. However, its production is often reduced by various pests that attack at different growth stages, causing severe yield and quality losses. Common pests like thrips, aphids, whiteflies, fruit borers, and mites can directly damage plants or act as vectors for viral diseases, posing a major challenge to farmers. Understanding these pests, and the damage they cause is crucial for developing effective management strategies to ensure a healthy and productive chilli crop.

 List of pests in chilli crops :

1. Thrips
2. Aphids
3. Yellow spider mite
4. white fly
5. Tobacco cutworm
6. Gram caterpillar

1. Thrips

Scientific name: Scirtothrips dorsalis

SYMPTOMS 

• Generally they attack tender leaves and growing shoots. Rarely the older leaves are attacked. sometimes even the buds and flowers are attacked. 
• Their damage results in the infested leaves curling upward, crumbling and shedding.
• Silvering of the leaf surface.
• Infested buds turning brittle with petiole becoming brown and dropping down. Affected fruits showing light brown scars.

MANAGEMENT

• Seed treatment with imidacloprid @ 3 -5 g/kg of seed.
• Do not grow chilli after sorghum – more susceptible to thrips
• Do not follow chilli and onion mixed crop – both the crops attacked by thrips
• For effective control of thrips we can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre.

2. Aphids

Scientific name: Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae

SYMPTOMS 

• Both nymphs and adults suck sap from the leaves.
• Also excrete honeydew on which black sooty mould develops affecting photosynthetic activity.
• Thus it causing Reduction in growth and fruiting capacity of the plant.

MANAGEMENT

• Treat seeds with Imidacloprid 70%WS @12g/kg of seed.
• For effective control of aphids we can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre.

3. Yellow spider mite

Scientific name: Polyphago tarsonemus latus

SYMPTOMS

• The nymphs and adult form webs in the under-surface of the leaves.
• Suck the sap resulting in downward curling of the leaves. Infested leaves appear with elongated petioles. 
• The plant looks stunted with reduced growth.

MANAGEMENT

• For effective control of mites we can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre.
• Foliar spraying of dicofol 5ml/l or wettable sulphur 3g/l. 
• Synthetic pyrethroids not to be used.

4. Whiteflies

Scientific name: Bemisia tabaci

SYMPTOMS

• Nymphs and adults suck the sap usually from the under-surface of the leaves.
• Chlorotic spots develops on leaves and leaves becomes yellow in colour.
• Downward curling and drying of leaves.
• It also transmits the leaf curl virus. 

MANAGEMENT

• Whiteflies can be effectively attracted and controlled by yellow sticky traps.
• Remove alternate weed host Abutilon indicum.
• Uproot and destroy the diseased leaf curl plants.
• Use nitrogen and irrigation judiciously.
• For effective control of whiteflies we can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre.
• Apply carbofuran 3% G @ 40 kg /ha.

5. Tobacco cutworm

Scientific name: Spodoptera litura

SYMPTOMS

• Newly hatched larvae scrap the green matter in the leaf
• Affected leaf looks like a papery white structure
• Later instar larvae feed by making small holes
• In severe infestations they feed voraciously on the entire lamina, petiole and some times even the tender twigs on the terminal shoots of plants.
• Also feed on the floral parts and bore into the fruits.

MANAGEMENT

• Ploughing the soil helps to expose the pupae, thereby killing it through natural enemies and desiccation. 
• Castor can be used as trap crop in field bunds or in borders of chilli crop as the moth that prefers to oviposit in castor can be collected and destroyed. 
• Hand collection and destruction of egg masses and larvae are a viable method of destruction of the insect. 
• Installation of sex pheromone trap at 15 traps/ha helps to monitor and mass trap the adult moth population.
• Provide poison bait with chlorpyriphos 1.25 kg, rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg and water 7.5 L/ha.
• For effective control of Caterpillar in chilli we can use bio pesticide like “LARVEX 250 ml / acre”.

6. Gram caterpillar

Scientific name: Helicoverpa armigera 

SYMPTOMS

• Young larva feeds on the leaves for some time and then attacks buds and fruits. 
• Internal tissues are eaten severely and completely hollowed out. 
• While feeding, the caterpillar thrusts its head inside leaving the rest of the body outside.
• The bored fruits are found with round holes. Fruit attack has resulted in premature fall.

MANAGEMENT

• Collect and destroy the infected fruits and grown up larvae.
• Setup pheromone trap with Helilure at 15/ha.
• Six releases of T. chilonis @ 50,000/ha per week coinciding with flowering time.
• Release Chrysoperla carnea at weekly interval at 50,000 eggs or grubs / ha from 30 DAS.
• Spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/lit or B. thuringiensis 2 g/lit.
• Provide poison bait with carbaryl 1.25 kg, rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg and water 7.5 lit/ha or spray any one of the following insecticide.
• For effective control of Caterpillar in chilli we can use bio pesticide like “LARVEX 250 ml / acre”.

FAQ’s

1.What are the major pests affecting chilli crops?

Major pests of the chilli crops are sucking pests and pod borers. Sucking pests includes thrips,aphids,whiteflies,and mites.Pod borers are tobacco cutworm and gram caterpillar.

2.What are the symptoms of thrips infestation?

Upward curling of leaves and stunted growth, shedding of flowers and buds.

3.What damage do fruit borers cause?

Bore holes in fruits, Fecal pellets around the holes and making them unmarketable.

4.Chilli leaf curl virus transmitted by which pest?

Whitefly act as a vector for chilli leaf curl virus.

5.How do mites affect chilli plants?

Downward curling of leaves and yellowing of leaves. Severe infestation reduce yield significantly.

CONCLUSION:

Chilli crops faces significant challenges from various pests including thrips,aphids,mites,whiteflies and pod borers which can drastically reduce yield and quality.To control these pests we should follow effective pest management which combines cultural, biological, and chemical control methods.Monitoring pest populations through traps ,regular scouting, planting resistant varieties, and adopting eco-friendly practices such as the use of biopesticides and natural predators can significantly minimize pest impact. We can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre for sucking pests and ‘LARVEX’250ml/acre for pod borers.