Pests Of Jatropha

Jatropha Curcas is acquiring importance commercially as the demand 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 alternative and it is likewise really affordable compared to other fuels. Recently, Jatropha is facing some trouble with insects and diseases. The insects are classified into 2 ranges: Pest that impact young plants and Pest that impact matured plants.

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

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

Control: This insect can be controlled by picking the larva discovered around the plants or by blending the bran, sawdust with insecticides.

Scarabaeid Beetle: This bug ruins the root of the young plant. Initially, the larva consumes the raw materials present in the soil and then pertains to the root. The larva attack may eliminate the whole plant.

Control: The plant with great resistance power can conquer the bug. For heavy attack, insecticides with parts carbosulfan and carbofuran can be utilized to kill the bug.

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

Control: Insecticides are used to control the pests.

Grasshopper: This prevails pest found in several plants. Valanga nigricornis and Locusta migratoria widely attacks the plant. The bug 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 assaulted by this bug normally drop. The existence can be recognized by the larva penetration hole at the stem.

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

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

Leaf Caterpillar: This pest can eat all the leaves of the plant in other words 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 area and getting rid of the attacked leaves.

Needle Caterpillar: This caterpillar is covered with spinal columns and produces a burning feeling when permitted to contact with skin as it produces particular chemical compound. Initially the bug crowded in the leaf and after that spread out all over the plant when it gets older.

Control: Manually, the insect can be killed only by soaking it in water or kerosene. The heavy attack can be managed by spraying organophosphate insecticides.

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

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

Mite: Mite also attacks the leaf and makes the entire plant weak. The bug presence can be recognized when the leaf become yellowish, shrinks, turns red and fall down. The insect can also be spread through fallen leaves.

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

Some terrible insect which attacks flower and fruit are, Stink bug (Nezara viridula)

Chrysocoris javanus, Tip borer caterpillar.

Stink Bug: Sting bug is a serious insect which assaults the plant throughout blossom duration so the crop yield entirely drops. This bug is seen around the tropical area.

The hazardous enzyme in the plant shrinks the entire plant.

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

Tip borer caterpillar: The pests frequently occurs attacks the plant in flowering season and this pest is seen widely in tropical areas. The female insect laid the eggs on the tender part of the plant and the young the young fruits and plant ideas.

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