Turmeric Pests

Pests of National Significance

Insect pests

• Shoot borer: Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
• Rhizome scale: Aspidiella hartii (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

Diseases

• Rhizome rot: Pythium graminicolum or P. aphanidermatum (Edson)
• Leaf spot: Colletotrichum capsici Syd.
• Leaf blotch: Taphrina maculans E. J. Butler

Weeds

Major Kharif

• Pigweed: Amaranthus viridis Hook. F. (Amaranthaceae)
• Swine cress: Coronopus didymus (L.) Sm. (Brassicaceae)
• Black nightshade: Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae)
• Common purselane: Portulaca oleracea L. (Portualacaceae)
• False amaranth: Digera arvensis Forssk. (Amaranthaceae)
• Carrot grass: Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae)

• Rabbit/crow foot grass: Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Beauv. (Poaceae)
• Crab grass: Digiteria sanguinalis (L.) Willd. (Poaceae)
• Barnyard grass: Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Scop. (Poaceae)
• Chinese lovegrass: Eragrostis unioloides (Retz.) Nees. Ex Steud. (Poaceae)
• Goose grass: Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner (Poaceae)

• Purple nutsedge: Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae)
• Flat sedge: Cyperus iria L. (Cyperaceae)

Major rabi

• Lamb’s quarter: Chenopodium album L. (Chenopodiaceae)
• Scarlet Pimpernel: Anagallis arvensis L. (Primulaceae)
• Sweet clover: Melilotus indica (L.) All. (Fabaceae)
• Fine leaf fumitory: Fumaria parvifl ora Lam. (Fumariaceae)
• Corn spurry: Spergula arvensis L. (Caryophyllaceae)

• Blue grass: Poa annua L. (Poaceae)

Pests of Regional Significance

Insect pests

• Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilosoma obliqua Walker (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)
• Rhizome fly: Mimegralla coeruleifrons Macquart (Diptera : Micropezidae)
• Leaf roller/Skipper: Udaspes folus Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hesperidae)
• White grub: Holotrichia spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
• Lacewing bug: Stephanitis typicus Distant (Hemiptera: Tingidae)
• Thrips: Stenchaetothrips indicus (L.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
• Leaf beetle: Lema praeusta. Fab., L. signatipennis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Diseases

• Bacterial wilt: Ralstonia solanacearum (C. Martin and E. R.. French)
• Dry rot: Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taubenh. and E.J. Butler)

• Root-knot nematode: Meloidogyne sp
• Burrowing nematode: Radopholus similis
• Lesion nematode: Pratylenchus spp.

Animal and rodent pests

In some areas, rodents damage the turmeric crop by making holes in the turmeric fields. Sometimes, monkeys, buff aloes, wild boar and other grazing animals also destroy the turmeric cultivation by grazing or trampling over it.

IPM for Turmeric

To know the IPM practices for Turmeric, click here.

Source: NIPHM and Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage