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University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot

Insect Pests of Tea

Presentation on,

Ravi. PujariUHS11PGM14

2KITTUR RANI CHANNAMMA COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, ARABHAVI 591 310

Pests in relation to different parts of the plant

Bud – MitesAphids

Tortrix

Matured foliage – Tortrix Mites

Matured branches – Shot hole borer

Red stem borer

Trunk and collar region – Termites Grubs

Sucking Pests

1. Tea green leaf hopper ( Emposca flavescens)2. Tea aphid (Toxoptera auranti)3. Tea Mosquito bug (Helopeltis theivora)4. Thrips (Taeniothrips setiventris)5. Scales(Lacenium uride)6. Mealy bugs

Defoliators

1. Leaf miner2. Tea tortrix/Flush worm(Helopeltis theivora)3. Bunch caterpillar (Andraca bipunctata)4. Tea semiloper (Biston supprersaria)

Borers

1. Red borer ( Zeuzera coffeae)2. Shot hole borer (Xyleborus fornicates)

Root feeder

Root grub (Holotrichia impressa)

Non insect pests(Mites)

1. Red Spider mite: 2. Scarlet mite : (Brevipalpus californicus )

3. Purple mite : (Calacarus carinatus )

4. Yellow mite : (Hemitarsonemus latus )

(Oligonychus coffeae)

Tea Mosquito Bug: Helopeltis theivora( Miridae: Homoptera)

Damaging stage – Nymphs and Adults

Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves, buds and tender stems.

Life cycle

Adult lay eggs on midrib of leaves

Fecundity- 100

Incubation period- 10-13 days

Nymphal period- 22-23 days

Adult – Black head, pale yellow and black thorax, yellow and greenish black abdomen.Nymph is dirty yellow

Life Cycle of TMB

Symptoms

• Leaves show many dry parts due to feeding and also injection of toxic saliva

• Die back symptoms

Management

• Collection and destruction of parts with pest• Spraying with Dimetoate 1.7 ml / ltr• Helopeltis are predated by Oxyopes sheweta

(Lynx spider).

Tea green leaf hopper: Emposca flavescens( Cicadellidae: Homoptera)

• Damaging stage- Nymphs and Adults

• Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves

Life cycle Eggs are laid by inserting in the tissue of new tea buds and

shoot, particularly in the internode. In one bud upto 7 eggs are laid.

Fecundity 100 eggs during her lifetime. Depending on the temperature, the eggs will hatch after 5 -

10 days, producing nymphs. There are five nymph stages. The total nymphal development period is 7 - 16 days being

faster in warm weather condition. So, it takes from 12 - 30 days for leafhoppers to complete a

generation. There can be as many as 10 generations in a year. The life span of the adults is 14 - 21 days; females in general

live longer than males.

• Nymphs are more damaging than adults. Due to intensive sucking the affected leaves curl downwards; the margins become curved, then turn brown and gradually dry up. This typical symptom is called “Rim Blight”.

• The midrib and veins of affected leaves also show some what brownish discoloration. Photosynthetic activities is drastically reduced due to loss of chlorophyll, this coupled with imbalance in growth hormones results in stunted plant growth.

• Hoppers feeding marks appear small yellow spots. Under dry conditions, the upper part of leaves dry out. The less seriously affected leaves may develop a purple colour.

Symptoms

Management

• Natural Management: Ladybeetles, Neuropterans, praying mantids feed on leafhoppers

• Tea growing under shade trees tends to have less leafhoppers problem. Mulching also helps to increase humidity and therefore reduce leafhopper populations.

• Spraying with Verticillium lecanii @ 2 gm/ltr• Use of light taps• NSKE 5%• Sprays with Monocrotophos @ 1.25 ml/ltr or Imidacloprid

0.25ml/ltr

Defoliators

Tea tortrix : Homona coffearia (Tortricide : Lepidoptera)

Eggs are flat and deposited in overlapping clusters

Larvae is dark green with a shiny black head The newly hatched larvae tend to move upwards

to the growing points of the bush and begin feeding

From the second to the fifth instar they make nests by webbing two or more leaves together

Mature larva pupates inside the final nest

The adult moth emerges about 10 days later Adult is a grayish brown moth with brown

markings on wings Wing span is 16 to 20 mm

Larvae

Pupa Adult

Damage

leaves are folded longitudinally. They also attack fruits, shoots, and flowers

Management

The introduction of the braconid Macrocentrus homonae Nixon from Indonesia was extremely successful and reduced Homona coffearia to the status of a minor seasonal pest

This situation continued until the mid-1950s. Since then, this leaf roller has become serious pest because of the use of chemicals for controlling the shot-hole borer

Sprays with NSKE 5% Sprays with Carbaryl 4 gm/ ltr

Bunch catrerpillar: Andraca bipunctata( Bombycidae: Lepidoptera)

• Damaging stage- Larva• Nature of damage- It first feeds on leaf surface

by scraping later feeds on leaf margins and they remain clustered in bunches on branches

Life cycle

• Fecundity- 150-500• Incubation- 10-11 days• Larval period- 3-4 days• Pupal period- 16-20 days ( soil)• Adult is brownish with dark wavy lines on

wings

Life stages

Symptoms

• Scraped leaef surfaces• Concave cutted leaf margins• Clustering of leaves on branches

Management

• Collect and destroy the clustered leaf bunches on branches

• Spray with Quinolphos 2 ml/ltr

Tea semilooper: Biston supprersaria(Geometritidae: Lepidoptera)

• Damaging stage- Larva

• Nature of damage- It first feeds on leaf surface by scraping later feeds on leaf margins

Life cycle

• Fecundity-200-600• Incubation- 10-11 days• Larval period- 8-9 days• Pupal period- 20-22 days ( soil)• Adult is greyish moth with black and yellow

bands and spots.• Caterpillar is brown

Symptoms

* Scraped leaef surfaces in early stages* Apperance of holes on leaves Management * Collection and destruction of infested

branches* Sprays with Quinolphos 2 ml/ltr

Tea mites1. Red spider mites

2. Scarlet mite

3. Purple mite

4. Yellow mite

The Red spider mite: Oligonychus coffeae (Tetranychidae : Acarina)

Spherical bright red eggs are deposited by the female on leaves at the rate 4 – 6 eggs a day

Three developing stages are found to occur six legged larvae

Elliptically shaped female body is broadly rounded at the posterior end and carry the large purple markings

Damage

Infest the upper surface of mature leaves Infestation starts along midrib and veins

and spreads to the entire upper surface of leaves

Affected leaves - bronzed, dry and crumpled

The scarlet mite : Brevipalpus californicus (Tenuipalpidae : Acarina)

This species is found on tea and associated trees in tea plantations

Eggs are scarlet, Bright red, elliptical and laid under side of the leaves

Adults are scarlet, red in color and ovate in shape

Damage

This species is found on tea and associated trees in tea plantations

Feed on the under surface of leaves, near the mid rib and the petiole of maintenance foliage

Heavy infestation leads to defoliation of bushes

Purple mite : Calacarus carinatus (Eriophyidae : Acarina)

They are minute worm like mites, having a vast range of host plants including tea

Adult female is deep purple colored Body is elongated and spindle shaped, with a

broad anterior end

Damage

It prefers older leaves to feed on, but during dry spells under heavy infestations, even younger leaves are infested

Found on both surfaces of the foliage

Affected leaves look dull and matty with a purplish brown discoloration

Yellow mite : Hemitarsonemus latus (Tarsonemidae : Acarina)

Eggs are relatively larger – 0.1 mm long Female lays 4 or more eggs a day Life cycle is shorter with no active nymphal

stages

Damage

Common on tea recovering from pruning and on young tea during post – monsoon periods

Losses are felt quickly, because the pest attacks the harvestable part of the plant

Management of Mites

• Collection and destruction of infested parts

• Spraying of acaricide Dicofol 0.5 ml/ltr

Shot-Hole Borer :Xyleborus fornicates(Scolytidae: Coleoptera)

Damaging stage- Adult Nature of damage- It makes holes on the

roots and on the lower part of main trunk Grubs, upon hatching feed on a fungus

Monocrosporoum embrocium

Life cycle

• Fecundity-• Incubation- 10-12 days• Larval period- 45-60days• Pupal period- 20-30 days (tunnel)• The adults are small in size brown, reddish

brown or black in colour, head completely bending downwards with blunt end

• Activity- Winter months

Larvae Pupae Adults

Symptoms

Yellowing of lateral branches

Small pin holes on main trunk

Oozing of fiberous material from the trunk

Crop losses due to the SHB have been

assessed to be in the rang of 18 – 40 %

Management

• Avoid water logging • Swab Carbaryl paste around stem upto 2 feet

from base• Drenching with Chloropyriphos 2.5 ml/ ltr

• Red stem borer : Zeuzera coffeae (Cossidae: Lepidoptera)

• Adult - orange colour, medium sized mothThe adult has white and black spotted wings The larva is red coloured

Life cycle : Eggs are usually laid singly on the bark Eggs hatch in 8 – 12 days and larval

development takes 3 – 4 months Pupation takes place inside the stem and the

adult emerges in about 2 months Adult is a nocturnal moth

• Damaging Stage : Larva

• Nature of damage & Symptoms of damage: • Caterpillar bores into the stem or branches to

feeds on the wood. • In early stages of attack, young plants or

braches show wilting. • Pellet-like excrement of the larva hangs out

and accumulates at the base of the plant. • In advanced cases, the branch dries up.

Management

• Affected plants or twigs should be cut and burnt.

• Providing good shade to plantation.• Field release of white muscardine fungus B.

bassiana and braconid parasite Amyosoma zeuzerae.

• Spraying NSKE at 4 percent.

Thank You