Brinjal (Solanum melongena) is affected by a diverse array of insect pests that can significantly reduce yield and market value. Key pests include the brinjal fruit and shoot borer, epilachna beetle, brown leafhopper, whitefly, aphids, brinjal lace wing, leaf roller, and mites. Effective identification, understanding of life cycles, and integrated management strategies are essential for sustainable brinjal production.
Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis)
- Belongs to family Pyralidae, order Lepidoptera; serious pest of brinjal.
- Adult moth is medium-sized with whitish forewings marked by black and brown patches; caterpillar is small and light pink.
- Eggs (up to 250) are laid singly on leaves, shoots, flower buds, or fruits; larval period lasts 12–15 days in summer, 22 days in winter.
- Larvae bore into shoots and fruits, causing withering, drying, and fruit damage (up to 21% loss); infested fruits show circular holes plugged with excreta.
- Management includes removal of infested plant parts, use of larval parasitoids (Microbracon greeni), pheromone traps (5/ha), and insecticidal sprays (carbaryl, profenofos, cypermethrin).
Epilachna Beetle (Epilachna dodecastigma)
- Member of family Coccinellidae, order Coleoptera; also known as spotted leaf beetle or hadda beetle.
- Adults are small, round to oblong, brick red or pinkish with 12–28 black dots; grubs are yellowish, spiny, and broad at the front.
- Eggs laid on leaf undersides; larval period 10–35 days, pupal period 3–6 days; total life cycle 17–50 days.
- Both grubs and adults feed on leaf chlorophyll, creating skeletonized patches and reducing photosynthetic area.
- Control by hand-picking, destruction of egg masses, use of parasitoids (Tetrastichus ovularum, Uga menoni), and foliar insecticides (DDVP, carbaryl, profenofos, quinalphos).
Brown Leafhopper (Cestius phycitis)
- Family Cicadellidae, order Hemiptera; small, light brown adults.
- Feeds on plant sap, causing leaf size reduction, shortened petioles, bushy growth, and stunted plants.
- Can induce ‘little leaf’ disease, leading to conversion of floral parts into leafy structures and rare fruiting.
- Management includes removal and destruction of infected plants, seedling dip in carbofuran, and spraying with dimethoate.
Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
- Family Aleurodidae, order Hemiptera; adults have yellowish bodies, red eyes, and white or greenish wings.
- Common and serious pest of brinjal and other solanaceous crops; nymphs are pale yellow and sluggish.
- Life cycle completed in 13–122 days; up to 10–12 generations per year.
- Nymphs and adults suck sap, causing leaf withering, browning, and flower shedding; excrete honeydew leading to sooty mould and reduced photosynthesis.
- Control via insecticidal sprays (dimethoate, malathion, methyl demeton, monocrotophos).
Aphids (Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae)
- Family Aphididae, order Hemiptera; nymphs and adults are small, soft-bodied insects.
- Suck sap from leaves, causing yellowing, deformation, and drying of plants.
- Honeydew secretion promotes sooty mould growth, further reducing photosynthetic efficiency.
- Management includes seed treatment with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam, and use of yellow sticky traps.
Brinjal Lace Wing/Tingid Bug (Urentius sentis)
- Family Tingidae, order Hemiptera; nymphs and adults feed on leaf sap.
- Infestation leads to yellowing, withering, and leaves covered with exuviae and excreta, especially in summer crops.
- Control by spraying with DDVP or dusting with carbaryl.
Leaf Roller (Antoba olivacea)
- Family Pyralidae, order Lepidoptera; caterpillars fold leaves from tip upwards and feed within the fold.
- Infested leaves wither and dry; larvae are always found inside the leaf fold.
- Management includes removal and destruction of infested leaves, and application of carbaryl dust or spray.
Mites (Tetranychus telarius)
- Family Tetranychidae, order Acarina; tiny pests that suck cell sap from leaves.
- Infestation causes yellowing and withering of leaves, reducing plant vigor.
- Control measures include spraying with sulphur, dicofol, or abamectin, and dusting with sulphur.
Objective Questions
Q1. Which pest is known to cause circular holes in brinjal fruits, making them unfit for human consumption?
A. Leucinodes orbonalis
B. Epilachna dodecastigma
C. Cestius phycitis
D. Bemisia tabaci
Answer: A
Q2. Which larval parasitoid is used to suppress the population of Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer?
A. Uga menoni
B. Microbracon greeni
C. Tetrastichus ovularum
D. Trichogramma chilonis
Answer: B
Q3. What is the total life cycle duration range for Epilachna dodecastigma on brinjal?
A. 7-10 days
B. 13-122 days
C. 17-50 days
D. 22-35 days
Answer: C
Q4. Which pest is a vector of little leaf disease in brinjal?
A. Bemisia tabaci
B. Cestius phycitis
C. Aphis gossypii
D. Urentius sentis
Answer: B
Q5. Which chemical is recommended for seed treatment to control aphids in brinjal?
A. Carbaryl
B. Imidachloprid
C. Dimethoate
D. Malathion
Answer: B
Q6. Which pest's nymphs and adults excrete honeydew, leading to the development of black sooty mould on brinjal leaves?
A. Leucinodes orbonalis
B. Epilachna dodecastigma
C. Bemisia tabaci
D. Antoba olivceea
Answer: C
Q7. What is the recommended spray concentration of DDVP for controlling brinjal lace wing (Tingid bug)?
A. 0.2%
B. 0.05%
C. 0.3%
D. 0.075%
Answer: B
Q8. Which pest folds the leaves from tip upwards and feeds within the green matter of brinjal?
A. Tetranychus telarius
B. Antoba olivceea
C. Urentius sentis
D. Myzus persicae
Answer: B
Q9. Which pest's damage results in skeletonized patches on brinjal leaves due to feeding between veins?
A. Epilachna dodecastigma
B. Cestius phycitis
C. Leucinodes orbonalis
D. Tetranychus telarius
Answer: A
Q10. Which acaricide is recommended for spraying against mites on brinjal at 0.03% concentration?
A. Carbaryl
B. Sulphur
C. Dicofol
D. Dimethoate
Answer: C
