GUIDE TO BLACK PEPPER PESTS

AND THEIR CONTROL

CARF LOGO Author: Meas Chanty

Date: /////////////////////////

1. LACE BUG OR TINGID BUG ON PEPPER BLOSSOM

Local name: "Chay Kapal Has" Scientific name: Diconocoris hewetti, Family Tingidae, Order Hemiptera

An insect has a grey black color with hard solid body. His size is around 5 mm of length and 2 mm of width. The insect disposes one pair of antenna and some thing as the horn on the shoulder (picture //). A nymph is small, has around 3mm of length and 2 mm of width with grass green body color and brown bristles along of sides (picture //). Adults and young bugs suck inflorescences and the very young fruit bunches, cause not only the losses because the falling down of part of the fruit but the damage will be more serious when the damaged berries infected by the fungi caused the fruit bunch rot.

This insect lives permanently in the pepper field but it is abundant in the flowering stage from June until the development of the young berries (August or September). Jan Feb M Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

How does lace bug look like?

When and how does lace bug cause damage?

: Significant damages

: Presence

The inflorescence affected by the berry bug has brown to black points on places where sucked by the insect. The inflorescences or the young berries will be wilted, graying and fell down when the damage is serious (picture //)

Infestations start mainly from flowering to young berries formation stage. At the morning, observe lace bug on the inflorescences or on the young berries. The affectation is done mainly by the adult and the nymph stage. After this abundant period, observe attentively on the inflorescences or on the young peppercorns to find the lace bug.

1- Take care of several predators of Tingid bug such as Dragonflies and damselflies, variety of Spiders, Earwing, Spraying Mantis as well as Lizards.

2- Examine daily and attentively the presence of lace bug in the critical period from flowering to berries formation stage. The observation should be done in the morning.

3- Destroy adults or nymphs of the insect from inflorescences or young berries by hand when the insect population is not high.

4- Use traditional botanical insecticides (Tobacco + manioc tubers + Lavea Siem1) 5- Use insecticides such as Monster (Acephate) 2, Trebon (Etofenprox)3 by alternative

way to control the lace bug in case the traditional botanical insecticide is not efficient.

1 Spontaneous liana grown in the local forest

2 Insecticide class III (WHO hazard class)

3 Insecticide class Un (WHO hazard class)

Where to look for lace bug?

What is the best way to manage lace bug?

2. MEALYBUG

Local name: "Chay Sar" Scientific name: Various species of mealybug, Family Speudococcidae, Order Homiptera

Mealybugs are plant sucking, oval and soft bodied, relatively immobile insects (picture ///). They secrete white filaments of wax to cover themselves. Adult females are wingless, soft bodies, pink and covered by waxy threads. Males which are smaller have wings and are pale yellow. Young nymphs are white and become pale yellow and later pale pink. The mealybugs give off honey drew and are tended by ants which protect them from most predators and parasites.

Mealybugs are abundant during droughts (post monsoon) but large populations are infrequent. At the beginning of rainy season mainly from June to July, the black pepper plants start to produce the new shoots then continue by flowering and forming the young spikes. This period is favorable for the mealybugs in the condition of having a dry spell. The nymphs and adults feed by sucking the sap of new shoots, tender leaves and fruits and reduces their development. When insects damage seriously the plants, their leaves are yellowing and exhibit slow development. This insect secretes a sweet honeydew, well appreciate by the ants and on which growing the sooty mold that is detrimental to the assimilation of leaves (Picture ///). The defoliation, the fallen inflorescence and spikes can occur during the serious affectation.

How does mealybug look like?

When and how does mealybug cause damage?

Jan Feb M Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Generally the presence of the ants (black, red or long legs ants) on vines is the sign of appearing the mealybugs in the plantation. The insects appear mainly on new shoots, tender leaves and young spikes. Therefore, for the serious affectation, the insects are also observed on the old leaves, the stems and the old spikes.

1- Take care of predators such as ladybeetles to control the population of mealybugs. 2- Examine daily and attentively the presence of the mealybugs during favorable periods,

mainly when there is the dry spell. 3- Pick up the insects and destroy them by hand or destroy infected plants at the first sign of

mealybug damages. 4- Spray local traditional botanical insecticides then spray a strong jet of water directly on to

the affected area of the plant. 5- Spray insecticides when damages are serious and the traditional botanical insecticides are

not efficient. Use Buprofezin4 but alternatively with the other insecticides such as Trebon (Etofenprox), or Chlorfluazuron 5 at the morning or afternoon to avoid the insecticide resistance. Spray a strong jet of water to wash the insects from plants.

4 Insecticide class Un (WHO hazard class)

5 Insecticide class Un (WHO hazard class)

Where to look for mealybug?

: Significant damages

: Presence

What is the best way to manage mealybug?

3. GROUND BEETLE

Local name: "Kanche" Scientific name: Apogonia cambodjensis, Family Scarabaeidae, Oder Coleoptera A beetle has a shiny black color. His size is around 10 mm of length and 5 mm of width (Picture ///). This beetle is active at night but at the day time it takes a rest in a hole under the soil near the base plant or on the shade tree. The beetle feeds new shoots and tender leaves and its larvae and pupa developed in the ground. The black ground beetles feed the big part of new shoot and tender leaves. The form of damage is irregular but generally they feed from the margin inward to the midrib of leaf. When the affectation is important, the beetles feed also the midrib of leaf (Picture ///). The upland area is more favorable for the larva and pupa development. The larvae of black beetle require the strict soil moisture for their development. The water saturate soil and dry soil affect the development of black beetle larvae. This strict soil moisture requirement explains their uneven distribution.

How does ground beetle look like?

When and how does ground beetle cause damage?

The insect is more present in the period where the vines produce the new shoots and tender leaves. This period is mainly observed in the beginning of rainy season. The overcast sky and low sunlight is favorable condition for insect activity. Jan Feb M Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

The insects appear in the field mainly at the evening and night. At day time, the insects hide themselves in the hole around the plant hills or shade tree near the field. To find the beetles at the day time, it is recommended to dig the insect hole around the plant hill. 1- Birds and lizards are the main predators of ground beetle. 2- Examine daily and attentively the presence of the insect during the favorable periods. 3- Pick up the insect and destroy by hand at the first sign of damages. Destroy the insect

underground shelter and kill the insects by hand. 4- Flooding the black pepper plantation, especially around the base plants while make

irrigation. 5- Spray the traditional botanical insecticide at evening or eventually at night. 6- However at the rare event of outbreak, treat them with Trebon and use alternatively with

Acephate. The time appropriate for the treatment is during late afternoon.

: Significant damages

: Presence

Where to look for ground beetle?

What is the best way to manage ground beetle?

4. GREEN WEEVIL /GOLD-DUST WEEVIL /GOLD –DUST BEETLE

Local name: No local name Scientific name: Hypomeces squamosus, Family Curculionidae, Order Coleoptera

This is a big beetle has light green color and 15mm long and 5mm width. The larvae are stout, greyish white, 15-20 mm when full grown, and have tapered abdomen. These weevils are easy recognized when the newly emerged because they are covered by shiny yellow or green scales that give them a dusted appearance.

The weevil appears frequently in the period where the pepper plants produce new shoots and tender leaves. The adult and larva are polyphagous, feed the young tender leaves from the edge inwards and only the softer tissues between the veins are eaten on older leaves. The larvae live in the soil feed on living plant roots. There are various host plants including upland rice, maize, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton and citrus. The pupation takes place in the soil. The adults feed on the same plants, but also attack a wide range of forestry species.

How does green weevil look like?

When and how does green weevil cause damage?

Where to look for green weevil?

The adult and larva feeds the tender leaves. Therefore, we can find it on the leaves at the morning or afternoon. At the hot time this weevil hides in the shade leaves. The larva and its pupa are found in the soil near the base plant. The recommendations to control ground beetle could be also applicable for controlling this weevil.

What is the best way to manage green weevil?

5. Stinging Slug Caterpillar Local name: "Kantech arl" Scientific name: Parasa lepida (Cramer), Family Limacodidae, Order Lepidoptera.

Caterpillars have yellow-green color, 30mm of length and 5-6mm of width and have many protuberances of spine on the body. The caterpillars are polyphagous and cause severe defoliation of plants. The male larva has seven instars and often eight is recorded for the female. Young larvae are yellow but in the third instars a blue grey strip is appeared along the dorsum and another light green along each side. The egg stage of P.lepida lasts 5-7 days. Eggs are laid in groups of 15-40. Larva development requires an average of 40 day (32-36 days) and its pupation is gregarious and lasts about 22 days (21-24 days).

Female moths lay eggs on the old leaves. Caterpillars hatch out and begin feeding the undersides of the old leaves. They chew holes on the undersides of the mature leaves and also its edge, but don't cause enough damage to reduce yield. The mature caterpillars drop off the brush and pupate (form cocoons) on the ground. Cocoons are spherical about 10-15 mm in diameter, and consist of a hard papery shell covered with a thin layer of silk. They are found buried in the soil (within the top 2 cm), or among dead leaves. Adults are small brown moths. Often the populations of P.lepida are decreased during the rainy season which sets off epizootics of a viral disease. In general, this insect is kept in check by its numerous natural enemies.

How does stinging slug caterpillar look like?

When and how does caterpillar cause damage?

The caterpillars are usually found on the undersides of the mature leaves. The cocoons are buried in the soil or hided among the fallen leaves under plants. The presence of the caterpillars in plantations could be identified by presenting of larva excrements on the ground around plants. Caterpillars have stringing pines that can cause painful burns. So do not collect these caterpillars by bare skin but it is possible to collect them by using gloves.

1- There are several natural enemies for P. lepida. So take care of its natural enemies such as several parasitoid wasps (Braconidae wasp) and flies (Tachinidae fly).

2- Collect the caterpillars by wearing gloves and burn or crush them. 3- It is useful to collect cocoons on the ground or among fallen leaves under plants and

burn or crush them. 4- Often P.lipida populations are decimated during the rainy season due to diseases may

develop in the pest caterpillars. Collect sick caterpillars (they stop moving, become limp and soggy and may have a bad smell) and mash them in some clean water. Then, spray the water onto the undersides of mature leaves to spread the disease. Spray during late afternoon to avoid the bright sun kills the disease.

5- Use traditional botanical pesticides to spray onto undersides leaves during late afternoon

6- However in the rare event of outbreak, spray onto caterpillars with Baccillus thuringiensis or Chlorfluazuron.

Where to look for stinging slug caterpillar ?

What is the best way to manage stinging slug caterpillar?

6. Treehopper

Local name: "Bey Chhruk" or "Dek Chharb" or "Momeach Mo-rech" Scientific name: Telingana varipes, Family Membracidae, Order Hemiptera

A tree hopper has head and dorsal with shiny pale brown color and triangular from (referred to the local name "Bey Chhrung"). It has one small pair short horns on its head and light brown transparency wings. It is a small insect has around 3 mm of length and 2 mm of width. The pepper producers consider this tree hopper as a minor pest because it has never caused significant damage in the area.

Tree hoppers are more abundant in the beginning of rainy season, mainly when the black pepper produces the flowers and the new shoots. The short dry or low intensity of rain during the rainy period will be favor to appear them on the black pepper. They feed the black pepper by sucking the sap of the inflorescence, the young berries and the tender leaves. The inflorescence affected by this insect will be changed to the grayish color, dried and fallen.

How does treehopper look like?

When and how does treehopper cause damage?

Jan Feb M Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

We can find the insects on new shoots, inflorescences, young berries and tender leaves at the morning and evening (low intensity of sunlight). At the sunlight time the insect will be found in the shadowed leaves.

1- Daily check the presence of the insects during the favorable period 2- Spray traditional botanical pesticides at the morning or at the evening at the first sign of

insect damage. 3- Spray alternatively Chlorazuron with Buprofezin and Acephate in case of outbreak event.

: Significant damages

: Presence

Where to look for treehopper ?

What is the best way to manage treehopper?

7. Termite

Local name "Kandear"

Scientific name: Various species, Family Termitidae and Rhinotermitidae, order Isoptera

Termites are soft-bodied insects. Most species of termites are subterranean and spend their

lifetime within the soil, shelter tubes they build or wood in which they feed. Termites can be

classified by caste such as worker, soldier, and reproductive caste (Alate or swarmed

termites, king and queen).

Interestingly, worker termites have no eyes, so they do everything by feel and scent.

Termites will development with the following favor conditions: - Extended dry season and poorly drained soil - Upland and wetland without extended flooding. - Plot accumulated waste wood like stumps, tree top or branches on and in the soil offers additional food for termites. They are harmful to plant because: - They make the sterile soil by doing the nests. - They cause the declination of the vines and the death the plants by getting into them

some centimeters underground. - They eat the underground organs. - They produce the underground tunnel and this tunnel will retain the rain water and causes

the rotting of plants roots and died.

How do termites look like?

When and how do termites cause damage?

Worker termites with one

queen and three kings.

King

King

King

Queen

The damage symptoms are notified by vines wilt temporally at the hot time but they will normally recover at night and in the morning. The vines stagnate or slow down their development. This damage symptom can be confused with the decline wilt and foot rot disease at the first stage.

Frequently, termites attack poles of black peppers and build their subterranean nests in the plantation. Therefore check regularly the movement of termites on the pole surface and the presence of nests around the plants.

- Predators of termites are birds, reptiles like geckos, and lizards, mites, spiders and insects like assassin bugs, ants, frog and some others. Take care of them to keep termites away.

- Examine regularly the presence of nest around the hill and termite movement on the pole. - Incorporate green manures into the soil, this will improve food resources for the termites

and prevent them to attack the target crop. - Manual measures comprise hoeing and digging out subterranean nests, after that destroy

the termite population, mainly the termite queen. Replace new healthy soil and step on it firmly around the hill.

- Drill deeply the nest at different places until the bottom if possible then inject insecticide such as Chlorfluazuron, Imidachloprid. Consulting with experienced agriculture technicians before using these insecticides.

Where to look for termites ?

What is the best way to manage Termites?