| Species: | |
 |
Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) |
| Common name: | |
|
taro catterpillar |
|
cluster caterpillar |
|
common cutworm |
|
cotton leafworm |
|
cotton worm |
|
tobacco caterpillar |
| Damaging stage: | |
|
Larvae |
| Crops Affected: | |
|
Cucurbits, solanaceous, legumes, brassicas, cotton, tobacco, onion |
| Characteristic Damage: | |
|
Newly hatched larvae attack their hosts in cluster and feed gregariously by scraping the leaf surface. |
|
Larvae move and feed on the other leaves making large irregular holes and may leave only the veins. |
|
High infestation results to severe defoliation. |
| Management and Control: | |
|
Monitor the area regularly. |
|
Hand pick the larvae to reduce the population. |
|
Remove weeds and volunteer plants that may serve as alternate hosts. |
|
Cultivate the soil by plowing and harrowing and use plastic mulch to minimize pupation in the soil. |
|
Plant trap crops like sunflower, taro or castor plants around the area. |
|
Use of pathogens like the nuclear polyhedrosis virus and entomopathogenic fungi Aspergillus flavus, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to reduce cutworm population. |
|
Apply botanical insecticide like neem extract. |
|
Apply lamda-cyhalothrin, tebufenozide and fipronil when necessary. |
| References: | |
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spodoptera_litura | |
| http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/44520 | |
| http://wiki.bugwood.org/Spodoptera_litura | |
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