Pests Of Jatropha

Jatropha Curcas is gaining importance commercially as the need of fossil fuels increases significantly and also Jatropha is an environmentally friendly energy plantation. Plantation of this plant is considered to be an excellent fuel substitute and it is also extremely economical compared to other fuels. Recently, Jatropha is facing some trouble with insects and illness. The insects are classified into 2 varieties: Pest that affect young plants and Pest that affect matured plants.

Young plant pests: Cutworm, Scarabeid Beetle, Army worm, Grasshopper.

Agrotis ipsilon: It is commonly called Cut worm. This pest affects the seedlings and young Jatropha plants. If the plant is impacted by the cutworm, the stem gets cut nearer to the soil surface area and this will shrunk the plant entirely.

Control: This insect can be managed by choosing the larva found around the plants or by blending the bran, sawdust with insecticides.

Scarabaeid Beetle: This pest ruins the root of the young plant. Initially, the larva consumes the natural matters present in the soil and after that concerns the root. The larva attack might eliminate the entire plant.

Control: The plant with great resistance power can overcome the insect. For heavy attack, insecticides with elements carbosulfan and carbofuran can be utilized to the pest.

Army worm: Spodoptera litura presence can be identified by biting in the leaves. The serious infection could entirely eliminate the plants.

Control: Insecticides are utilized to control the pests.

Grasshopper: This prevails bug found in several plants. Valanga nigricornis and Locusta migratoria commonly attacks the plant. The pest often assaults the young plant.

Control: The insecticides utilized betacyfluthrin, cypermethrin, thiodicarb, MIPC, and fipronil.

Pest observed in fully grown plants:

Pest of Stem: Ostrinia furnacalis, Xyleborus spp.

Ostrinia furnacalis and Xyleborus: This insect harms the Jatropha stem and it is widely seen in Indonesia. The stem attacked by this insect normally fall down. The existence can be identified by the larva penetration hole at the stem.

Control: The Insecticide generally used to control this bug is carbofuran.

Pest of leaf: The common bugs observed are leaf caterpillar, Neetle caterpillar, Leaf hopper, Mite, Ear corn caterpillar.

Leaf Caterpillar: This pest can consume all the leaves of the plant in brief period. The quality and yield of the seeds get lowered due to the heavy attack.

Control: This can be managed by selecting the old larvae around the surface and discarding the attacked leaves.

Needle Caterpillar: This caterpillar is covered with spines and produces a burning feeling when enabled to exposure to skin as it produces specific chemical compound. Initially the insect crowded in the leaf and then spread out all over the plant when it grows older.

Control: Manually, the pest can be killed just by soaking it in water or kerosene. The heavy attack can be controlled by spraying organophosphate insecticides.

Leaf Hopper: This bug is found mostly in tropical and subtropical areas. The bug targets the leaf and sucks all the nutrients of the leaf and gets curls at the tip. Later, the entire leaf dry and die.

Control: The heavy attack can be controlled by utilizing insecticides like imidachloprid, beta cyfluthrin or carbosulfan.

Mite: Mite also assaults the leaf and makes the whole plant weak. The pest presence can be recognized when the leaf become yellow-colored, shrinks, reddens and drop. The bug can likewise be spread out through fallen leaves.

Control: Some preventive measures can be done like correct sanitation and burning the fallen leaves. Heavy attack can be treated by spraying insecticides.

Some awful pest which attacks flower and fruit are, Stink bug (Nezara viridula)

Chrysocoris javanus, Tip borer caterpillar.

Stink Bug: Sting bug is a serious pest which assaults the plant throughout blossom period so the crop yield totally falls down. This pest is seen around the tropical region.

The harmful enzyme in the plant shrinks the entire plant.

Control: Insecticides suggested for this pest is chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, alfamethrin, and lamda cyhalothrin.

Tip borer caterpillar: The pests typically occurs attacks the plant in flowering season and this bug is seen extensively in tropical regions. The female insect laid the eggs on the tender part of the plant and the young larvae feed the young fruits and plant suggestions.

Control: Manually, the assaulted seeds are recommended to burn. The insecticides like monocrotophos and bensultap are sprayed at the blooming season.