Jatropha Curcas is gaining importance commercially as the need of fossil fuels increases enormously and also Jatropha is an environment-friendly energy plantation. Plantation of this plant is thought about to be an excellent fuel substitute and it is likewise really affordable compared to other fuels. Recently, Jatropha is facing some problem with pests and illness. The bugs are categorized into 2 ranges: Pest that impact young plants and Pest that impact matured plants.
Young plant bugs: Cutworm, Scarabeid Beetle, Army worm, Grasshopper.
Agrotis ipsilon: It is frequently referred to as Cut worm. This pest affects the seedlings and young Jatropha plants. If the plant is impacted by the cutworm, the stem gets cut nearer to the soil surface and this will diminished the plant totally.
Control: This pest can be controlled by picking the larva discovered around the plants or by mixing the bran, sawdust with insecticides.
Scarabaeid Beetle: This insect damages the root of the young plant. Initially, the larva takes in the raw materials present in the soil and after that comes to the root. The larva attack may eliminate the entire plant.
Control: The plant with great resistance power can overcome the insect. For heavy attack, insecticides with components carbosulfan and carbofuran can be used to kill the bug.
Army worm: Spodoptera litura presence can be recognized by biting in the leaves. The severe infection could totally kill the plants.
Control: Insecticides are utilized to control the bugs.
Grasshopper: This prevails insect found in several plants. Valanga nigricornis and Locusta migratoria commonly assaults the plant. The insect often assaults the young plant.
Control: The betacyfluthrin, cypermethrin, thiodicarb, MIPC, and fipronil.
Pest observed in fully grown plants:
Pest of Stem: Ostrinia furnacalis, Xyleborus spp.
Ostrinia furnacalis and Xyleborus: This bug harms the Jatropha stem and it is commonly seen in Indonesia. The stem assaulted by this insect generally fall down. The existence can be identified by the larva penetration hole at the stem.
Control: The Insecticide typically utilized to manage this pest is carbofuran.
Pest of leaf: The typical pests observed are leaf caterpillar, Neetle caterpillar, Leaf hopper, Mite, Ear corn caterpillar.
Leaf Caterpillar: This pest can eat all the leaves of the plant in other words period. The quality and yield of the seeds get reduced due to the heavy attack.
Control: This can be managed by choosing the old larvae around the surface and discarding the attacked leaves.
Needle Caterpillar: This caterpillar is covered with spines and produces a burning sensation when enabled to call with skin as it produces particular chemical substance. Initially the insect crowded in the leaf and then spread all over the plant when it grows older.
Control: Manually, the bug can be killed just by soaking it in water or kerosene. The heavy attack can be controlled by spraying organophosphate insecticides.
Leaf Hopper: This bug is discovered mostly in tropical and subtropical areas. The bug targets the leaf and draws all the nutrients of the leaf and gets curls at the tip. Later, the entire leaf dry and die.
Control: The heavy attack can be controlled by utilizing insecticides like imidachloprid, beta cyfluthrin or carbosulfan.
Mite: Mite also assaults the leaf and makes the entire plant weak. The insect presence can be determined when the leaf become yellowish, diminishes, reddens and fall down. The insect can likewise be spread out through fallen leaves.
Control: Some preventive steps can be done like appropriate sanitation and burning the fallen leaves. Heavy attack can be treated by spraying insecticides.
Some awful insect which attacks flower and fruit are, Stink bug (Nezara viridula)
Chrysocoris javanus, Tip borer caterpillar.
Stink Bug: Sting bug is a severe pest which attacks the plant throughout bloom period so the crop yield completely drops. This insect is seen around the tropical region.
The hazardous enzyme in the plant diminishes the entire plant.
Control: Insecticides recommended for this bug is chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, alfamethrin, and lamda cyhalothrin.
Tip borer caterpillar: The bugs frequently occurs attacks the plant in flowering season and this insect is seen extensively in tropical regions. The female pest laid the eggs on the tender part of the plant and the young larvae feed the young fruits and plant ideas.
Control: Manually, the assaulted seeds are suggested to burn. The insecticides like monocrotophos and bensultap are sprayed at the blooming season.
