Protecting Roses From Japanese Beetles: Strategies For Identifying, Preventing And Mitigating Their Damage 

Japanese Beetles are a significant pest of roses, causing damage to leaves and flowers. They can be identified by metallic green body and copper colour wings. They are oval in shape and have white tufts of hair along the sides and bottom of their bodies. The larvae are creamy white, with a brown head and can be found in soil.  

Adults emerge from the soil in the summer and feed on the leaves, flowers and stems of roses and other plants. They lay eggs in the soil, which hatch into larvae. The larvae feed on plant roots before pupating in the soil and emerging as adults the following year.   

Type of Infestation

Japanese Beetles are foliage feeders and cause significant damage to the leaves of rose plants.  

Scientific Name: Popillia japonica 

Most Affected States

The exact distribution of Japanese Beetles in India is not well documented. However, they are a known pest of rose plants and are likely present in rose-growing regions of the country.  

Symptoms of Rose Japanese Beetle

• Skeletonization of leaves is a common symptom caused by Japanese beetle. 
• They feed on the tissue between the veins of leaves, causing them to become lace-like. 
• In case of severe infestation, scorched appearance can be seen. 

Control Measures

The management of Japanese Beetles on rose plants can be achieved through an integrated approach that includes cultural, physical, mechanical, biological and chemical measures. 

Cultural Measures

• Plant rose varieties like New Dawn pale pink rose which are less attractive to Japanese beetles. 
• Cultural practices such as proper plant nutrition, watering and soil management can help maintain the overall health of rose plants and reduce the damage caused by Japanese Beetles.  

Physical Measures

• Hand picking and destroying the beetles is one of the effective ways to reduce the Japanese beetle population. 
• Removing the affected leaves and flowers also helps to control Japanese beetles on rose plants.

Mechanical Measures

Mechanical practices such as using row covers or screens can prevent Japanese Beetles from accessing rose plants.  

Biological Measures

• Katyayani Activated Neem Oil Bio Pesticide contains activated azadirachtin which when used at the rate of 5 ml per liter water with a 12 days interval between each spray can effectively control Japanese beetles in rose fields.  
• Anand Dr. Bacto’s Meta Insecticide contains a parasitic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae which effectively controls Japanese beetles on rose plants. The recommended dosage is 2ml per liter of water. 
• In addition, introducing natural predators such as birds and parasitic wasps, can help control Japanese Beetles on rose plants. 

Chemical Measures

Chemical control of Japanese beetles in roses is an effective method of managing the pest population. The following are the commercial chemicals that are used to control Japanese beetles in roses ,