Effective Preventive Measures for Cutworms

Cutworms cause the most damage during spring and early summer months. They can cut young plants off at the base or near the ground level..

Cutworms are moth larvae that hide under litter or soil during the day, coming out in the dark to feed on plants

Host range: Groundnut, citrus, soybean, cotton, tobacco, castor, pulses, millets, safflower, banana, cabbage, tomato, sweet potato, bhendi, chillies

One can control cutworm by cultural and physical method. The best method to control this pest is by poison bait, as it is nocturnal in nature

Preparation of poison bait: Mix Rice bran 12.5 kg, jaggery 1.25 kg, Carbaryl 50%WP 1.25 kg and water 7.5 L.

This bait can be spread in the fields in the evening hours so that the caterpillars coming out of the soil, feed and get killed

Some other measures: * Spraying of chlorpyriphos 20 EC 2.0 L/ha and dichlorvos 76 WSC 1.0 L/ha * Spraying Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus at 200 larval equivalent (LE)/ ha * Growing castor along border and irrigation bunds * Hand picking and destruction of grown up caterpillars.

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