Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae, Lepidoptera)

• Polyphagous pest

Damaging stag : larvae

Damaging symptoms :

• Early instar larvae make leaf
• Later instar feed at edge

Identification

• Egg – cluster, golden brown color, covered with brown hair
• Larva:– pale brown with a slight greenish to violet color  They have yellowish-green dorsal strips and lateral white stripes.
• Pupa:– pupation on soil
• Adult – dark-colored moth with white wavy marking on forewings . Hindwings are white with brown margins.

Life cycle

Egg —> 6 – 7day—-> larva—-> 2 – 3 wks——> pupa—> 2 wks—> adult

Management

• Caster as a border as a trap
• Flood the field for hibernating larvae.
• Spodolure @15/ha
• Spray spodoptera litura npv
• Egg parasitoid : trichogrammae chilonis
• Posion bait : rice bran 5g + molasses or brown sugar 500g + carbaryl 50 WP 500g + water 3 liter
• Spray chlorpyrifos 20 % EC 2 g/l