Peanut
Groundnut Borer
Caryedon serratus
Insect
In a Nutshell
- Small holes in kernels made by larvae that start to eat the seed.
- Large holes in a pod made by the adult beetle.
- Insects attack pods both in the field and in the storage.
Can also be found in
Peanut
Symptoms
The primary evidence of infestation is the emergence of larvae from the holes and the presence of cocoons outside the pods. There is usually no visible damage to the seeds when the infested pods are split open.
Recommendations
Organic Control
Treat groundnut pods with neem seed powder or black pepper powder. You can also treat pods with Neem oil, Pongamia oil or Eucalyptus oil. Store Pods in air-tight polythene bags or in galvanized metallic/PVC seed bins.
Chemical Control
Always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological treatments, if available. Spray Deltamethrin @ 0.5ml/l on bags.
What caused it?
Damage is caused by the larvae of the adult brown beetle (C. Serratus). Eggs (small and translucent) are laid by the mature adult beetle on the outside of the pod. After hatching, the young larvae dig directly through the pod wall from the egg. It feeds on the cotyledons of the kernel until maturity. The adult beetle then makes a large hole in the pod. The adult beetle is oval-shaped and brown in colour and is usually about 7mm in length. Under optimum conditions, it takes about 40-42 days to complete its life cycle. The beetle's development thrives under temperatures of 30-33°C.
Preventive Measures
- Cultivate resistant varieties like CMV10, GG3, and others which are least preferred by Bruchids.
- Reduce attacks from secondary pests by sorting and disposing of broken or damaged seeds.
- Avoid heaping the produce in the field itself.
- Harvest groundnuts at the right stage of maturity.
- Reduce seed moisture through sun-drying to a safe level (usually to less than 10% moisture) to reduce the transfer of pest infestation from field to store.
- Clean and fumigate storage structures.
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