ARMY WORM

Spodoptera litura (Nocutuiae : lepidoptera)

IDENTIFICATION

- Moth pale brown in colour

- Wing dark brown with net of white lines

- Egg yellow green and in cluster covered with brown hair

- Larva dark green, brown with yellow spots

- Larvae march from one field to an other in large number

LIFE HISTORY
Egg: 1 – 3 days
Larva: 11 – 20 days
Pupa: 6 – 11 days

Adult: 2 – 14 days
Generations: 8 per year
Active period: August to October

DAMAGE
- In early stages feed on tender leaves

- On attacked leaves, only veins of leaves left uneaten

- In sever attack whole leaf including midrib are consumed

- Immature bolls become weak and remain unopened

- Mature bolls show bad opening

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

- Install light traps to monitor and destroy moths

- Clean cultivation to avoid egg laying and shelter for the pest

- Collect and destroy egg masses manually

- Immediately plough up field after crop harvest

- Plough up heavily infested fields and irrigate

- Spray only infested patches, if attack is not severe

- Apply kerosine oil @ 3 litre/acre through irrigation, after spray

- Dusting with Permethrin or Carbaryl and trenching around the attacked fields to check migrating larvae