Eggplant Integrated Pest Management AN ECOLOGICAL GUIDE

__________________________________________________________________________________Major Eggplant Insect Pests• Reflective mulches, such as strips of aluminum foil, are helpful to deter jassids, especially whenplants are young. Such mulches also help deterring aphids and thrips. The shiny mulch reflects the(sun-)light and deters jassids, aphids and thrips, which will then not land on the crop. See section3.11.4.• The use of trap crops, for example okra, is a promising strategy. Farmers can grow okra alongborders, "trap" the leafhoppers there, and focus sprays on those plants. See box below.Trapping jassid with okra?!?In glasshouse experiments from Philippines, the jassid Amrasca biguttula biguttula preferred okra toeggplants for feeding and egglaying (Bernardo, 1990). During the TOT in Mymensingh, Bangladesh,participants found that two rows of okra, if planted 3 weeks ahead of eggplant, could substantiallyreduce jassid populations in the field (FAO-TOT Mymensing, 1999).In areas where jassids are a major problem, try planting okra as a trap crop along the eggplant fieldto protect eggplant from damage by jassids. Find out if the jassids also prefer okra to eggplant in yourfield!Once jassids are present in the field:• When populations are low, usually no control measures need to be taken. Proper monitoring isnecessary to determine the size of the jassid population and the extent of crop damage.• Some farmers, e.g. in Bangladesh, use wood ash to control nymphs of jassids. It also seems tocontrols aphids. If applied in large quantities, early morning when leaves are wet with dew, ash maystick to the leaves and hinder the energy production (photosynthesis) by the leaves.Points to remember about jassids:1. Jassids on eggplant are important because they can transmit little leaf disease.2. Several cultural practices such as use of resistant varieties, changing planting dates, use ofreflective mulches, and trap crops may help reduce jassid infestation.Related exercises from CABI Bioscience/FAO Vegetable IPM Exercise Manual4-D.1. Predation on sucking insects in insect zoo4-D.6. Use of light reflective mulch to manage thrips and/or aphids3-F.7. Role play on effects of pesticides on virus transmission by insect vectors5.5 Aphids - Myzus persicae / Aphis gossypiiVarious aphid species can attack eggplants, including Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii.DescriptionThese small insects are often globular in form, and exist generally in largecolonies on the underside of leaves, on young shoots and on flower buds. Theaphids have small syphons (looking like small antennae) at the back of theirbody. Syphons are a good way to recognize aphids.The color of the insect varies according to the species, the host crop and thestage of development, and can be ashy-gray, black, brown, green or yellow.Most of the aphids are without wings but have winged generations at certaintimes in their development cycle. The winged aphids are slightly longer than thewingless ones and have a dark-colored head and body. The veins on the wingsappear brown to black in color.Aphids can colonize a crop within several days, usually attacking young tissue.83Eggplant Ecological Guide