Hairy caterpillar
These appear sporadically in enormous populations at intervals of several years and cause heavy damage to the foliage.
Caterpillars are gregarious in habit and they congregate on the trunks of shade trees during day time and drop down on the cardamom plants during night time.
They fed voraciously on leaves and defoliating the whole cardamom plants.
Usually the damage is observed during October-December
Disease causing Species Name:
Eupterote cardamomi, E. canarica, E. fabia
Major Plants under threat:
cardamom
Method of Application:
Soil application, foliar spray,drip irrigation. se the spray solution as a direct spray targeting the pests on the undersides of the leaves.
Intervals:
Apply preferably in the early morning or during the late evening hours. Foliar Spray: Spray on the foliage during evening hours
Dosage:
The normal dosage is 20 g per plant.Soil Application: Mix 3 – 5 kg ABTEC Beauveria with 200 kg organic manure and apply uniformly to moist soil (1 acre). For tree crops mix 20 g with 1 kg organic manure and apply at the base.Foliar Spray: Mix 10 kg ABTEC Beauveria in 500 litres of water per hectare and spray on the foliage . Use the spray solution as a direct spray targeting the pests on the undersides of the leaves. Drip Irrigation: ABTEC Beauveria can be mixed @ 20gm /litre of water. After filtering it can be incorporated into the soil through the drip irrigation system during the pre or post planting stage.