Eggplant Integrated Pest Management AN ECOLOGICAL GUIDE

__________________________________________________________________________________Major Eggplant Insect Pests5 MAJOR EGGPLANT INSECT PESTSSUMMARYThe major insect pest of eggplant in Asia is the fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodesorbonalis). This insect can cause serious damage especially during the fruiting andharvesting stage. Other pests such as Epilachna beetle, red spider mite, and red ant canbe important locally. Biological control of the fruit and shoot borer may include use (orconservation) of indigenous parasitoids such as Trathala sp. and release of Trichogrammasp. Other eggplant insect pests also have natural enemies that may greatly reduce pestpopulations if fields are unsprayed with pesticides.Several cultural practices such as weed removal, removing infested plant material, use oftrap crops, flooding the field (in dry season), and hand-removal of egg-masses and larvaecan provide additional insect control. For most eggplant insect pests, insecticide use is noteffective or economically justified and may in some cases (e.g. red spider mite, whitefly)even aggravate pest problems.69Eggplant Ecological Guide