The problem of pests in fields is common, but due to these insects, even lush crops are destroyed. When cultivating peppers in your fields, you need to be cautious about these pests and here are some important steps you can take to get rid of them:
🐛Fruit Borers:
Caterpillars feed on crop leaves, then they enter the fruits and cause significant damage to the yield. Gather infested fruits and larger caterpillars and destroy them. Set up pheromone traps at the rate of 5 traps per acre for Helicoverpa armigera or Spodoptera litura.
To control Fruit Borer insects, spray a mixture of Chlorpyrifos + Cypermethrin (Neemol-D/Avala) @30 ml + Thiodicarb @0.5 ml per 12 liters of water using a power sprayer. Alternatively, you can use Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @4 grams per 10 liters of water or Flubendiamide 20 WG @6 grams per 10 liters of water for spraying.
🐛Thrips:
Thrips are widely found insects around the world and they attack crops such as potatoes, peppers, sesame, cotton, tobacco, peanuts, jute, coffee, lemons, limes, black gram, lentils, black pepper, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, mangoes, papayas, and guavas, among others. They feed especially on the lower surface of leaves, causing damage. Infected leaves show a silvery appearance, with leaves and petals falling off and leaves drying up.
If you notice an infestation of yellow thrips and whiteflies in the field, Chlorfenapyr @1.5 ml/liter or Abamectin @1.5 ml/liter has been found to be effective. Mite is a serious pest and can cause up to 80% loss in yield. For effective control, spray Spiromesifen 22.9 SC @200 ml per acre in 180 liters of water.
🐛Aphids:
Aphids mostly attack during cold months and at the final stage of crop growth. They suck sap from leaves and excrete a substance like honeydew, leading to the development of sooty mold, which affects product quality. Aphids also act as vectors for mosaic diseases in peppers. The spread of mosaic disease by aphids can lead to a 20-30% loss in yield.
To control aphids, use Acephate 75 SP @5 grams per liter or Methyl demeton 25 EC @2 ml per liter of water for spraying. The application of systemic insecticides like Imidacloprid, Carbofuran, or Profenofos in the soil between 15 and 60 days after planting was also effective.
🐛Whiteflies:
Whiteflies feed on the sap of leaves, weakening the plants. They secrete a sticky substance on leaves, which leads to the development of black sooty mold. They also spread leaf curl disease. Use yellow sticky traps coated with grease and sticky oil to monitor the infestation.
For severe infestations, you can use Acetamiprid 20 SP @4 grams per 10 liters of water or Triazophos @2.5 ml/liter or Profenofos @2 ml/liter for spraying. Repeat the spraying after 15 days if necessary.
