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Common name: Tea S.N: Camellia sinensis Family: Camelliaceae Major pests
Major insect pests of Tea Tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora Looper cater pillar, Biston supressaria Lobster Caterpillar, Neostauropus alternus Flush worm, Cydia leuocostoma Tea tortix, Homona coffearia Shot hole borer, Envallacea fornicatus Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management
Red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae Scarlet mite, Brevipalpus californicus Purple mite, Calacarus carinatus Pink mite (or) Orange mite, Acaphylla theae Yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus Thrips, Scirtothrips bispinosus Aphid, Toxoptera aurantii 1. Tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora
Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management Symptoms Identification Management
It is considered to be a serious pest of a tea. The damage more in most shaded areas. Symptoms of damage
Adults and nymphs suck the sap from buds, young leaves and tender stems Puncturing the plant tissues with their needle like rostrum and inject toxic saliva. Punctures appear as reddish brown spots. Leaves curl up, badly deformed and shoots dry up.
Adult - black colour with red thorax, black and white abdomen and greenish brown wings.
Management
Spray endosulfan (or) phosalone (or) monocrotophos 2ml / lit of water for better control.
Mature larvae prefer older leaves. Grown up larvae feed entire leaf Severe infestation - tea bushes are completely denuded.
Larva - dark brown with pale yellowish white lines on the back and sides. Adult - grey wings speckled with light brown or black markings and irregular wavy yellow lines.
Larva Management
Spray NSKE 5% (or) neem based oil formulations 3% Spray any one of the following insecticides endosulfan (or) phosalone (or) chlorpyriphos (or) fenitrothion (or) malathion 2ml/lit.
Two or three caterpillars can completely devour all the leaves from a small plant in two or three days.
Eggs are white and finely sculptured Larva black colour, resembles on dry leave Adult - Greyish white wings and reddish brown spots on the forewings.
Management
Hand collection and destruction Severe infestation - spray insecticide (endosufan 2ml/l).
Caterpillar ties up the margin of tender leaves and forms a case enclosing the bud. Feed on the upper epidermis of leaves. Affected leaves - rough, crinkled and leathery. Bud - Shoot growth is arrested.
Eggs are pale yellow and lay singly on the under surface of mature leaves Larva brown in colour. Adult is very small moth, blackish brown in colour.
Adult Management
Caterpillars make leaf nests by webbing the leaves using silken threads Feed from inside the leaf nest. Young larvae prefer tender leaves Older larvae are seen in mature leaves. Identification of the pest
Larva - green in colour Pupae - initially green colour and turns to reddish brown Adult - brown coloured and bell shaped in outline.
Management
Presence of round shot holes in primary branches. The attack results in mortality of buds and dieback symptoms in branches. Presence of circular or longitudinal tunnels inside the stem.
Management
Remove and destroy affected twigs. Spray lindane 20 EC 2 ml/lit using hand sprayer immediately after pruning.
7. Tea Mites a) Red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae b) Scarlet mite, Brevipalpus californicus c) Purple mite, Calacarus carinatus d) Pink mite (or) Orange mite, Acaphylla theae e) Yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus a) Red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae
Symptoms of 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.
Eggs are reddish in colour and spherical in shape Adult - female is elliptical in shape bright crimson anteriorly and dark puplish brown posteriorly.
Symptoms of damage:
Mites congregate on the under surface of mature tea leaves Feeding by scarlet mites leads to brown discolouration of leaves.
Eggs - are bright red colour and elliptical in shape Adult - scarlet red in colour and ovate in shape.
Symptoms of damage
Mites feed on the under surface of mature leaves. Assam type of tea - more susceptible to purple mite. Damaged leaves - coppery brown discolouration
Adult - very small, spindle shaped and dark puple in colour Five longitudinal white waxy ridges on the dorsal side.
Symptoms of damage
Mites are found on the under surface (abaxial) of young leaves. Affected leaves turn pale and upward curling. In severe infestation, leaves become leathery and brown. Damage - restricted to top 10 15 cm of tender leaves. Assam type of tea is susceptible.
Yellow mite is a polyphagous pest attacking tomato, cinchona, cotton, pulses, potato, chillies etc. Symptoms of attack and nature of damage
Mite is seen on young leaves especially the top two to three leaves and the bud. Affected leaves become rough and brittle and corky lines Downward curling Intermodes get shortened, Shoots - stunted and deformed.
Male mites are small and white to pale yellow in colour. Females are yellowish and bigger than the males. Yellow mites are active and fast moving mite.
Eggs Management
Adult
Spray dicofol 18EC 2 ml/lit or ethion 50 EC 2 ml/lit or monocrotophos 1ml/lit Application of wettable sulphur 80 WP 2g/lit using hand operated sprayer.
Thrips prefer young leaves and buds. Leaf surface becomes uneven, curled and matty. Feeding marks on the unopened buds - parallel brown lines on the leaves.
Management
Pruning - colonies of aphids are seen on tender shoots of tea immidiately after pruningLeaves curl up and shoot growth is stunted. Aphids are attended by ants. Honey dew secreted development of sooty moulds.
Management
Collect and destroy the infested plant parts Spray dimethoate 30 EC (or) chlorpyriphos 20 EC 2 ml/lit. Spray endosulfan (or) phosalone 2 ml/lit.
Source
The tea growing environment in the North East India is conducive to a large number of pests and diseases. Detail studies have been made at Tocklai on the biology and control of tea pests during the last decades. Adequate and timely measures are to be taken to reduce crop loss due to pests and diseases. Pesticides invariably leave residues and their indiscriminate use may render the teas unsuitable for consumption and trade. With ever growing concern over pesticide residues and the rising costs of the pesticides, the concept of pest control has undergone radical changes. Therefore, monitoring of pests for their early detection, integrated management of pests (IPM) and discretion on the choice of pesticides to be used on tea is of utmost importance.
The major pests, their site of attack on the tea plant, the period of occurrence in North East India, their mode of dispersal and some of the alternate hosts are shown in the following table. Major tea pests, site of attack and time of occurrence
Pests
Site of attack / nature of damage Moths Caterpillar Mature larva : entire leaf eaten away. Defoliation Pupa Moths Caterpillar
Life stages / time of occurrence Mar-Apr/May-Jun/JulAug/Oct-Nov Mar-Apr/May-Jun/ Jul - Aug/Oct- Nov Apr-May/Jun-Jul/AugSep/Oct-Nov Feb-Mar/May/ Jul/AugOct Mar-Apr/May-Jun/Jul Aug - Sep- Oct Apr-May/Jul-AugSep/Oct- Nov Feb-Mar/May/ Jul/AugOct Mar-Apr/May- Jun/JulAug /Sep-Oct Jan - May
A) Chewing pests Bunch caterpillar Young larva : young leaf, (Andraca bipunctata) epidermis removed
Mature larva : Whole leaf eaten Pupa away. Defoliation Under surface of mature leaf, Red slug caterpillar bark of young stem eaten away. Moth (Eterusia magnifica) Defoliation Caterpillar Flush worm (Lespeyrasia leucostoma) B) Sucking Pests Young leaves/buds/tender stems; Develop light to dark Helopeltis brown transluscent (Helopeltis theivora) irregular sucking spots/shoot growth retarded Young leaves/tender stems; Develop dark brown Jassid discoloration of leaf margin (Empoasca (Rim blight)/leaf curve inward flavescence) mid rib and veins turn brownish/ Shoot growth retarded. Adult Nymphs Egg Pluckable shoots / leaves tied up in nest formation
Caterpillar Moth
Feb-Nov
Feb-Jul
Thrips Unopened or partly opened (Scirtothrips dorsalis) buds/young succulent leaves; Aphids Buds/tender stems/young (Toxoptera aurantil) leaves C. Mite Pests Upper surface of young/ Red spider mite mature leaves. Brownish (Oligonychus coffeae) discoloration/defoliation. Under surface of leaf. Brownish discoloration Scarlet mite along the mid rib/veins/ (Brevipalpus petiole of leaf/splits on phoenicis) bark / defoliation of young tea. Upper surface of leaf. Pink and Purple mite Pinkish/ copperish (Acaphylla theae and discoloration on Calacarus carinatus) leaf/veins
Jan-Jul Jan-Apr
Whole year
Feb-Nov
Feb-Nov
Clerodendron infortunatum Malastoma malabethricum Mikania micrantha Pouzolzia indica Urena lohata Oxalis corymbosa O. acetocella
Scarlet mite Helopeltis, Scarlet mite and Red spider mite Helopeltis Root knot nematode and scarlet mite Red spider mite Root knot nematode Helopeltis
Cultural operations :
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Bush sanitation/Cold weather practices Ground sanitation Balanced nutrition Soil rehabilitation prior to replanting. Improved drainage Proper shade management Soil amelioration
Mechanical / cultural control methods Light trapping/Hand collection Hand collection (from soil around tea bush/shade tree) Hand collection (from shade tree) Hand collection (from tea/around collar) Hand collection/Light trapping Used engine oil barrier on ground Hand collection (from stems/forks/dryfallen leaves) Hand collection in morning and evening. Hand plucking and removal of infested shoots. Hand collection Soil stirring /caustic washing Removing lichens & mosses
Helopeltis
Cockchafer Thrips
Egg Adult & Nymph Adult & Nymphs Queens and workers/nest
Hard plucking Removal of infested shoots Hand collection Digging out/killing/ destruction by using insecticides
Regulatory Methods :
Only healthy, pest and disease free planting materials should be procured/used.
Biological methods :
Biological methods of control involve the conservation, preservation and introduction of natural enemies of tea pests, like predators, parasitoids and pathogens for suppression of pests within tolerable levels. More than one hundred indigenous natural enemies (predators, parasitoids and pathogens) have been recorded against various tea pests. A list the identified natural enemies against their respective hosts are given in the table below:
Pesticide can have detrimental effects on natural enemies thereby disturbing the bio-diversity and the balance in natural ecosystem. It is therefore necessary that the indigenous predators, parasitoids and pathogens are adequately preserved. Less toxic, selective pesticides should be preferred as much as possible, to keep the natural enemies active in tea areas.
Pesticides Dicofol Ethion Endosulfan Deltamethrin Cypermethrin Glyphosate Chlorpyriphos Dimethoate Profenophos Propargite 2,4-D Amine Salt Fenitrothion Simazine Copper Acephate Fenvelerate Paraquat Malathion Monocrotophos Quinalphos Diflubenzuron Cartap Lindane Formothion
EPA 45 10 24 20 -
Cod-ex 8 5 30 10 -
E.C. 20 3 30 5 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 5 0.1 1 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.05
TRA has organized awareness campaigns among the tea planters of this region through seminars and conferences highlighting the need for safer plant protection schedules for minimizing residues so that tea continues to be a health drink. TRA has also generated data on residues of commonly used pesticides in tea through extensive supervised field trials. A number of invoice tea samples have also been monitored for pesticide residues recently, which reveals that most of the samples have residues well below the MRL limits.
Monitoring and early detection of pests Integrated pest management Use of safer pesticides, botanicals and bioagents Avoid repeated spraying of the same pesticide Allow sufficient waiting period between spraying of pesticides and plucking Spot treatment