Eggplant Integrated Pest Management AN ECOLOGICAL GUIDE

__________________________________________________________________________________Major Eggplant Insect Pests• Release of predatory mites. If predatory mites are available and permitted for field use, this would bethe best control option.• Application of botanicals, such as neem can be effective. Most of these have a broad-spectrumactivity against many pests and natural enemies. For this reason, they may best be applied locally,only on infested plants, not on all plants. Most botanicals are not very effective against mite eggs.Application will have to be done at least weekly.• Numerous acaricides, chemical pesticides that work specifically against mites, exist. Unfortunately,most acaricides also kill predatory mites and some kill other natural enemies as well. Prolonged usemay reduce the predator population of spider mite and may even result in more crop damage. Seebox above. In addition, spider mites can develop resistance to many chemicals quickly because oftheir high reproduction rate. Many chemicals are already ineffective due to resistance. If acaricidesare used at all, try using them very localized, on infested plants only (spot application).Immunization, a natural vaccination program….?!?Research on cotton plants at the University of California, USA, showed that when young plants wereslightly infested by spider mites, the plants at a later stage were less attractive to spider mites.This method of “vaccination” is already practiced with tomatoes. Tomato plants are infected with a weakvirus strain that does not lower plant production, resulting in resistance against more aggressive strainsof virus.Although more research is needed to investigate the potential for pest control, it could be considered totolerate low levels of insects or mites in the crop and not to try for 100% control.Points to remember about red spider mite:1. Red spider mite has become an important pest in areas where pesticides have been usedintensively.2. Many species of indigenous natural enemies such as predatory mites may occur in vegetable fieldsuntreated with pesticides. Several predators are commercially available in some countries.Related exercises from CABI Bioscience/FAO Vegetable IPM Exercise Manual4-D.1. Predation on sucking insects in insect zoo4-D.2. Cage exclusion of natural enemies in the field4-D.8. Spot application of acaricides to manage mites5.4 Jassids / Leafhoppers – several speciesSee photos 10, 11 (page 176).Several species are important including Amrasca biguttulabiguttula, Amrasca devastans, and Cestius phycitis (formerlyHishimonus phycitis).Description and life cycleAdults and immatures are found on the underside of leaves.Their nervous behavior makes them difficult to catch.Adults are usually less than 13 mm long, with slender,tapered bodies of various colors from bright green to yellowgreenwith shiny wings, depending on the species. Theseinsects are very active. The adults may be found on thefoliage in large numbers, and move around by jumping, butfly very readily when disturbed. The nymphs are smaller thanthe adults and wingless. They move around very rapidly,seeking refuge on the underside of the leaves if disturbed.Nymph and adult jassid(from: Stoll, 1987)81Eggplant Ecological Guide