PESTS OF IMPORTANT CROPS
Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Name of Pests

Description & damage

Control Measures
Termites: Odontotermee obesus

Mictotermes obesi
  • Social insects that live underground in colonies;
  • attack young seedlings as well as grownup plants;
  • the attacked plants wither and ultimately die
  • Mix thoroughly 5% Aldrin or Chlordane dust with the soil just at the time of sowing or during preparation of the land for sowing.
Stem-borer,

Sesamia inferens
  • Moths are straw-coloured, lay eggs in clusters inside the leaf-sheaths;
  • pinkish-brown caterpillars bore into stems and kill central shoots;
  • causing dead-hearts
  • In the initial stage, pull out and destroy dead-hearts;
  • dust 5% BHC or spray 0.05% Endosulfan
Gujhia weevil,

Tanymecus indicus
  • Adults are earthern-grey weevils;
  • grubs feed on roots, whereas the adults cut growing –points or nibble at margins of leaves;
  • severe at the seedling stage.
  • Plough the fields in summer to expose and kill the pupae;
  • mix thoroughly 5% Aldrin or Heptachlor with the 12-25 cm deep layer of soil;
  • for adults, dust 5% BHC
Cutworms;

Agrotis ipsilon

A.flammatra
  • Caterpillars are general feeders;
  • Cut seedlings at the soil level;
  • resowing may be necessary, when the attack is severe
  • Dust 10% BHC on the soil around the plants
Thrip,

Anaphothrips

flavicinctus
  • Nymphs and adults lacerate tender leaves, causing characteristic whitish streaks;
  • low temperature favourable to rapid multiplication
  • Dust 5% BHC or spray 0.02% Phosphamidon or 0.03% Dimethoate or Diazinon
Wheat aphids:

Schizaphis (Toxoptera) graminum

  • Nymphs and adults suck sap from leaves, tender shoots and immature grain;
  • multiply extremely fast, forming large colonies
  • Dust 5% BHC or spray 0.02% Phosphamidon, or 0.03% Dimethoate or Diazinon
Surface grasshopper,

Chrotogonus

trachypterus
  • Adults stout, mud-like in colour; polyphagous, feeding on foliage and tender shoots
  • Dust 5-10% BHC
Shoot fly,

Atherigona naqvii
  • The fly has assumed the status of a pest recently;
  • maggots attack seedlings and kill the central shoots, causing dead-hearts
  • Apply Phorate (10%) or Disulfoton (5%) to the soil at the time of sowing;
  • spray seedlings with 0.03% Dimethoate, Phosphamidon or Methyl-demeton


Ag.
Technologies
(Pest Mgmt.)