Cutworm

Cutworm  (Agrotis ipsilon)

Cutworm or black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) damage the chickpea crop in entire country, but are more serious in Northern and North-Eastern India, particularly in flood-affected areas where soil is rich in organic matter e. g., Tal areas of Bihar. The caterpillars are grey to light brown in colour and are about 2.5 cm long.  The caterpillars are smooth and slippery. The pest remains hidden during day and becomes active during night indicating its nocturnal behaviour. They attack on crop during night and can damage chickpea plants at any stage right from seedling to fully grown plants. This pest cut the plants from its base or just above the soil surface or may cut branches. The damaged plants after some times show drooping of leaves or stem. A characteristic feature of the damage is that the caterpillars drag the cut parts into soil for feeding. Therefore, such damaged and scattered plants can be seen in field. This pest can cause heavy losses and some times even re-sowing of the chickpea crop becomes necessary.

Management of Cutworm

• Deep summer ploughing.
• Crop rotation and intercropping with linseed or wheat or mustard
• Growing marigold on bunds.
• Seed treatment with Chlorpyriphos 20EC @1 liter/100 kg seed.
• Spray Quinalphos 25 EC@2ml/liter water or Profenophos 50 EC @2ml/liter water.
• Apply Quinalphos 1.5% powder5@25 kg/ha during land preparation for sowing.
• Spray 0.05% solution of Chlorpyriphos near the root zone area.
• Dusting of Quinalphos 1.5% powder@25 kg/ha at dusk, in case soil treatment was not done.
• Erecting bird perches @ 50-60 /ha for the management of  cutworm.