Skeletonised leaves with lacy feeding from hadda (epilachna) beetle in brinjal and gourds, control.
How to control hadda beetle (epilachna) in brinjal and cucurbits?
SShyam Lal6mo ago · 233 views
3 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓6mo ago
Hadda or epilachna beetle, a spotted leaf eating ladybird type, and its spiny grubs scrape the leaf surface leaving a lacy, skeletonised, papery look on brinjal and cucurbits. Both adults and grubs feed, so handpicking the orange beetles, grubs and yellow egg clusters from the leaf undersides early can keep small plots in check. Remove and destroy heavily damaged leaves and keep the field and bunds weed free to reduce shelter. If numbers are high, a recommended insecticide is used as per label and pre harvest interval, rotating modes of action, especially while fruit is being picked. Confirm the chemical and dose with your KVK, since brinjal and gourds are harvested frequently.
SSuresh Gupta6mo ago
A point: keeping the bunds and field weed free reduced their shelter for me. With fruit being picked often I only spray if numbers are high and then strictly as per label and interval.
MMahesh Tiwari6mo ago
A point: both the adults and the spiny grubs feed, so I check the leaf undersides and remove the egg clusters early. On a small plot that handpicking alone kept the hadda beetle down.