1)American boll worm (Helicoverpa armigera)
Damage
- Polyphagous pest
- Feeds on leaves and all fruiting bodies
- When feeds the body remained outside from the boll
Management
ETL level 5 brown eggs or 3 larvae or both per 25 plants
Non chemical control
- Use of Trichogramma cards on all non BT crops
- Clean cultivation done
- Ploughing of field after the harvest of the crop that kill the larvae and pupae by exposing to sun heat and birds and animals.
- Avoid early sowing of cotton
- Monitoring of pest done regularly
Chemical control control
Recommended chemical name with dose rate
Spinosad 24%SC 80-100ml/acre
Spinosad 48%SC 60ml/acre
Emamectin Benzoate 1.9%EC 200ml/acre
Abamectin 1.8/3.5% 400/200ml/acre
Profenofos 50%EC 250ml
- Army worm(Spodoptera spp.)
Damage
- Feed on many crops and plants as host plant
- Feeds on leaves severely and veins left behind just like skeleton
- Immature falling of bolls occur
- Mature bolls show bad opening
Management
ETL level on seen by any larvae, egg and adult
Non chemical control
- Monitor the pest by installing light trap
- Clean cultivation
- Collect larvae and egg masses and destroy them
- Timely irrigation
Chemical control
Recommended chemicals with dose rate
Emamectin Benzoate 1.9%EC 200ml/acre
Abamectin 1.8/3.5% 400/200ml/acre
Lufenuron 5%EC 200ml/acre
Lufenuron 10%EC 100ml/acre
- spotted boll worms (Earias insulana ,Earias vitells)
Damage
- Larvae completely enter into the ball and feed on them
- Shedding of young bolls and squares and flaring brackets
- Holes are visible on bolls and excreta visible
Management
ETL level 3 larvae per 25 plants or 10% boll , flower and squares infestation
Non chemical control
- Clean cultivation
- Eradication of alternate host
- Cutting of sticks immediately after the last pick
- Monitoring of pest regularly with light trap or pheromones trap
Chemical control
Recommended chemicals with dose rate
Spinosad 24%SC 40ml/acre
Spinosad 48%SC 20ml/acre
Emamectin Benzoate 1.9%EC 200ml/acre
Abamectin 1.8/3.5% 400/200ml/acre
4)Pink boll worm(Pectinophora gossypiella)
Damage
- Larvae feed on the flowers and buds and flowers become rosette
- Yellowing of lint unpickable and valueless in severe attack
- Cause the double seed by joining the two seeds and deteriorate the quality of fiber
Management
ETL level 10% boll infestation in August and 5% in September
Non chemical control
- Rotavate the cotton field immediately after harvesting
- Grazing of sheep’s and goats after last picking of cotton
- Small bundles of sticks if kept for fuel then kept in vertical position and also changed their position from time to time
- Installation of traps for monitoring the pest population
Chemical control
Recommended chemicals with dose rate
Triazophos 40%EC 1000ml/acre
Spinetoram 12%SC 80ml/acre
Triazophos +deltamethrin 36%EC 600ml/acre
Written by. Haseeb Jan
