Full-grown caterpillars are dark brown with short hair and white patches all over the body.

The female butterfly lays eggs on flower-buds and the calyx of developing fruits; in a few days the caterpillars enter the fruit and feed on the pulp.

The conspicuous symptoms of damage are offensive smell and excreta of caterpillars coming out of the entry holes, with excreta found stuck around the holes. The fruits rot and drop off.

These fruit borers may cause loss of an entire crop unless the flowers are sprayed 2 times 30 days apart. Almost all pomegranate varieties are found to be susceptible to the pomegranate butterfly.

— Bagging of fruits with butter paper before maturity should be done in isolated and smaller scale.

— Remove and destroy all the affected fruits (fruits with exit holes).

— Removal of flowering weeds, especially of composite family, should be carried out on a regular basis.

— Frequent release of egg parasitoid trichogramma species was found effective to control the pest.

— Spray Deltamethrin at 0.002 per cent at the time when more than 50 per cent of fruits have set. Repeat after two weeks with Carbaryl at 0.2 per cent or Fenvalerate at 0.005 per cent in non-rainy season. Quinalphos at 0.06 per cent is also effective.

The number of sprays depends on severity of infestation. Spraying should be carried out preferably during evening hours.

The specified insecticides should be mixed always with an adjuvant/sticker (eg. teepol at 1ml/lit) for enhanced efficiency.

J. RESHMI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail