Economic Threshold Levels of Insect Pests

A decision to use an insecticide should be made only when an insect population has reached or exceeded an economic threshold—that level of a pest population at which control is needed to prevent economic loss (that is, the projected cost of damage is greater than the cost of control).The utmost principles of an insect management program are scouting fields and basing control decisions on economic thresholds. Growers should incorporate scouting and the use of economic thresholds into their crop management plans. Economic thresholds of insect pests of General Crops, Vegetables & Orchards are given as under:

 

Cotton

Jassid

1 Adult or Nymph per leaf

Whitefly

5 Adult or Nymph or both per leaf

Thrips

8-10 Adult or Nymph per leaf

Cotton Mealy Bug

On Appearance

Mites

On Appearance

Spotted Bollworm

3 Larvae/ 25 plants

Pink Bollworm

5 Larvae/ 100 Bolls

American Bollworm

5 Brown eggs or 3 small larvae or Both 5 / 25 plants

Armyworm

On Appearance

Aphid

Visible Damage on top terminals

Dusky Cotton Bug

10 per leaf/bud

Diseases

On Appearance

Rice

Nursery

 

Borers

0.5% attack on rice nursery while 4-5 moths/trap/night

Toka

3 per net on rice nursery

Crop

 

Borers

8-10 Moths/Trap/Night
Dead Hearts 5 %

Chrotogonous (Toka)

5 Adults/Net

Leaf Folder

2 rolled leaves per plant (July-Aug)

3 rolled leaves per plant (Sep-Oct)

White Backed plant Hopper/Brown Plant Hopper

15 nymphs or adults per plant/7-10 nymphs or adults per net (July-Aug)

20 nymphs or adults per plant/7-10 nymphs or adults per net (Sep-Oct)

Hispa

1 per plant

Diseases

On Appearance

Wheat

Diseases

On Appearance

Armyworm

On Appearance

Aphid

25/ tiller

Pink Graminous borer

5% damage

Narrow Leaf Weeds

 

Phalaris minor (Dumbi Sitti)

4/sq.m

Avena fatuae (Jungli jae)

4/sq.m

Broad Leaf Weeds

25/Sq.m.

Sugarcane

Top Borer

10% Attacked Plants

Stem Borer

-do-

Root Borer

-do-

Gurdaspur Borer

-do-

Pyrilla

2/Leaf

Black bug

10/ sheath

Whitefly

10/ Leaf

Mites

10/ Leaf

Toka

3/ Sweep of Net

Mealy Bug

On Appearance

Termites

10% Damage

Diseases

Only Presence

Maize

Shoot fly

5% damage

Stem borer

5% damage

Helicoverpa

5 % damaged Cobs

Armyworm

On Appearance

Termite

10% damage

Aphid

5/leaf

Jassid

5/leaf

Diseases

On appearance

Potato

Aphid

3/leaf

Jassid

3/Leaf

Whitefly

10/leaf

Helicoverpa armigera

5% infestation

Armyworm

On Appearance

Diseases

On Appearance

Sesame

Leaf Webber

8-10% damage on plants

Whitefly

5 nymphs or adults/leaf

Jassid

1 nymph or adult/leaf

Mirid Bug

6 per plant

Mealy bug

On Appearance

Thrips

5 nymphs or adults/leaf

Termite

5% Damage

Diseases

On Appearance

Vegetables

Armyworm

On Appearance

Diamond Back Moth

3/ Leaf (Cabbage)

1 larva per plant (Cauliflower)

Whitefly

5 nymphs or adults/Leaf (Cucurbits, Crucifers)
2 nymphs or adults /Leaf (Chillies, Legumes)

Red Pumpkin Beetle

1/  Plant (at seedling stage)
2/ Plant (at crop stage)

Fruit Borer

10% on Brinjal 5% on Tomato

Hudda Beetle

4/ leaf

Helicoverpa

5% Fruit Infestation

Fruit Fly

3 % Fruit Infestation

Jassid

1/Leaf on Cucurbits,

2/ Leaf on Brinjal,

3/ Leaf on Melons

Aphid

5/Leaf

Semilooper

3 per 25 plants

Cabbage butterfly

2 per 10 leaves

Thrips

10 per leaf

Mites

10 per leaf

Mealy Bug

On appearance

Spotted Bollworm

3 larvae per 25 plants

Cutworm

4% damage

Leaf miner

10% affected leaves

Termite

10% damage

Stem borer

5% damage

Diseases

On appearance

Fodder (Sorghum, Millet, Lucern, Berseem)

Borer

5% damage

Helicoverpa

5% spikes/ affected beans

Spotted Bollworm

On Appearance

Termite

10% damage

Mites

10/leaf

Aphid

5 per leaf

Semilooper

5 larvae per sq.meter

Diseases

On Appearance

Pulses

Spotted Bollworm

On Appearance

Armyworm

On Appearance

Helicoverpa

3 Larvae/25 plants

Termite

10% damage

Cutworm

10% damage

Toka

3-5 per net

Pod Borer

5 larvae/Sq. M

Disease

On Appearance

Mango

Hopper

5/ Leaf (In Summer) or 10 inflorescence or Twig

1/ Leaf (In Winter) or 10 inflorescence or Twig

Scales

50 Scales / Leaf

Fruit Fly

10% Damage

Termite

10% Damage

Borer

5% Damage

Mealy Bug

On Appearance

Gall Farming Insect  

10 Galls / Leaf

Disease

On Appearance

Citrus

Citrus Psylla

6/ Leaf

Whitefly

10/leaf

Scales

50/leaf

Aphid

5/leaf

Leaf miner

10% affected leaves

Lemon Butterfly

2 larvae (5 eggs/plant)

Fruitfly

10% affected fruits

Diseases

On Appearance

Tobacco

Cutworm

3% Attacked Plants

Aphid

50/leaf

Jassid

3/leaf

Budworm

3 larvae/25 plants

Armyworm

On Appearance

Diseases

On Appearance

Guava

Fruit Fly

10% Attacked Fruits

Mealy Bug

On Appearance