Management of diamond back moth (plutella xylostella linn ) on cabbage

1. CREDIT SEMINAR
ON
MANAGEMENT OF DIAMOND BACK MOTH (Plutella
xylostella Linn ) ON CABBAGE, ( Brassica oleracea
L. Var. Capitata)”
Presented by:
RAKESH
M.Sc.(Ag)Entomology
DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
SAM HIGGINBOTTOM INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY
AND SCIENCE,
ALLAHABAD-211007

2.  Cabbage is the second most important Cole crop, which originated in
Europe.
 Cabbage is one of the most popular winter vegetables grown in India.
 Duration of the crop is about 90-101 days and date of sowing August-
November.
 The cabbage crop is attacked by a number of different insect pests and
among them Cabbage caterpillar, diamondback moth, Cabbage semi-
looper.
 Out of these, diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella is the most destructive
pest of cruciferous crops.
 Plutella xylostella was first recorded in 1746 and probably from European
origin and In India, first recorded in Haryana, 1914 on cruciferous
vegetables.
 It causes 50-80% annual loss in the marketable yield and a loss of US $ 16
million every year.

3. SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Arthropoda
Class : Insecta
Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Pluttellidae
Genus : Plutella
Species : xylostella

4.  Eggs are laid singly or in small groups, on the upper side of the
leaves.
 Eggs are white-yellowish and less than 1 mm tall.
 Pale green caterpillars hatch after 3-6 days and will grow up to about
12 mm long.
 Caterpillars feed on leaves and they prefer the underside of leaves.
 After 14-21 days they pupate inside a cocoon, of about 9 mm long,
looking like a white silk mesh, attached to the underside of the leaf.
 After another 5-15 days tiny grey-brownish moths emerges and lay
the eggs.
 Under favourable conditions up to 6-8 generations per year are
possible.

5.  Diamond shaped yellow spot is found at the proximal
portion of the forewing hence its called as diamond back
moth.

6. LARVAEGGS
PUPA ADULT

7.  Caterpillars feed on leaves. They prefer the underside and do
not eat the veins.
 Damage are small incomplete holes caused by young larvae
and larger complete holes caused by mature larvae.
 Mining and skeletanization of cabbage leaves.

8. Skeletanization of cabbage leaves

9.  Total development time from the egg to pupal stage
averages 25 to 30 days, depending on weather, with a
range of about 17 to 51 days.
 Diamondback moths overwinter as adults among field
debris of cruciferous crops.
 Active adults may be seen during warm periods any time in
the winter.
 In spring, eggs are laid, singly or in groups of two or three
on foliage.
 Larvae hatch a few days later, usually by early November .

10.  When mature, larvae spin loose cocoons which remain
attached to lower leaf surfaces.
 After a two-week pupal period, a new generation of
moths emerges.
 Activity can continue through November and even into
mid-december.
 There are thought to be five or six generations per year.

11. 3-104 d110ays

12. Cultural Control
 Avoid planting during the hot season, particularly at the end of the
dry season.
 Crop rotation with non cruciferous.
 Intercropping; Planting rows of tomatoes 20:1 ratio alternately with
rows of cabbage reduces damage.
 Trap crops such as mustard also reduce attacks; 15 rows of
cabbage followed by mustard rows has been shown to be most
effective.
 Frequent irrigation and rain reduce the mating of moths and wash off
caterpillars and pupae from plant leaves.
 Planting of marigold (Tagetes spp.) 20:1 ratio reduces the larval
population with 30-50%.

13.  The larval parasitic wasps Cotesia
plutellae, and Microplitis plutellae 50,000/ha 60days
after planting to control of diamondback moth.
 Applying Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) 1.5 -2.0 gm products
are likely to exclude parasites because the residues are
lethal to these beneficial insects.
 Beauveria bassiana also used to control DBM.
 Release parasite Diadegma semiclausum at 50,000/ha,
60 days after planting.

14.  Application of these chemical insecticides were effective
against DBM.
Tr.
No
Common name Trade name Dose and
formulation
1 Cypermethrin Super killer 0.006%
25EC
1ml/lit
2 Spinosad Tracer
2.5% SC 1.2ml/lit
3 Chlorpyriphos Kormet 0.05%
20 EC 2ml/lit
4 Cartap hydrochloride Dartriz 00.03%
50%SP 1gm/lit of water
00.. jk454g45jjk76

15.  Resistance is a key concern with all lepidopteron pests on
Cole crops.
 Extensive resistance to organophosphate, pyrethroid,
and carbamate insecticides has been documented in the
diamondback moth.

16.  This is the important pest of cabbage it causes 50-
80% annual loss in the marketable yield.
 Mining and skeletanization of cabbage leaves.
 Life cycle takes 14-51 days depending upon
temperature.
 Planting of marigold (Tagetes spp.) reduces the larval
population with 30-50%.
 Chlorpyriphos 0.05% 20EC 2mllit is effective to
control the diamondback moth.

17.  Anonymous, 2009.Indian Horticultural Data Base,
(2009).National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture,
Govt. of India.pp. 242.
 Cartwright B, Edelson JV, Chambers C. (1987). Composite
action thresholds for the control of lepidopterous pests on
fresh-market cabbage in the lower Rio Grande Valley of
Texas. Journal of Economic Entomology 80: PP175-181.
 Etebari K, Palfreyman RW, Schlipalius D, Nielsen LK,
Glatz RV, Asgari S.(2011). Deep sequencing-based
transcriptome analysis of Plutella xylostella larvae parasitized
by Diadegma semiclausum. BMC Genomics, 12: 446.

18.  Feng M. G; Poprawski T. J and Khachatourians G. G.
(1994). Production, formulation and application of the
entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana for insect
control: current status. Biocontrol Science and Technology.
Volume 4; Issue 1: p. 3 – 34.
 Gichini G; Loehr B; Rossbach A; Nyambo B and Gathu
R. (2008). Can low release numbers lead to establishment
and spread of an exotic parasitoid: The case of the
diamondback moth parasitoid, Diadegma semiclausum
(Hellen) in East Africa. Journal of Crop Protection 27
pp906-914.

19.  G. Sow1, S. Niassy1, D. Sall-Sy1,3, L. Arvanitakis2, D.
Bordat2 and K. Diarra.(1988).
 Effect of timely application of alternated treatments of Bacillus
thuringiensis and neem on agronomical particulars of cabbage
Vol. 8(48), pp. 6164-6170, 12 V.
 Hama, H. (1983). Insecticide resistance in diamondback moth.
(In Japanese). Shokubutsu Boeki 37:PP471-476.
 Harcourt DG. (1955). Biology of the diamondback
moth, Plutella maculipennis (Curt.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae),
in eastern Ontario. Rpt. Quebec Soc. Prot. Plants. 37: pp155-
160.