Description:

• Eggs are elongated, whitish in colour, and laid on the undersurface of onions near the soil.
• Larvae are whitish and lack legs.
• Pupation occurs in the soil.
• Adults are grey in colour.

Damage Symptoms:

• Onion leaves become rotten, shredded, and rolled up.
• The growth of onion bulbs is hindered.
• Onion tissues decay, rendering the onions unmarketable.

Preventive Measures:

• Use yellow sticky traps in the field.

Control Measures:

• Spray malathion at 1 litre per hectare.