Description:

• Hot and dry weather conditions are favourable for the occurrence of thrips.

Damage Symptoms:

• Thrips often congregate on young leaves.
• They feed on sap, causing direct damage and spreading diseases.
• Silvery or bronzed discolouration appears on the leaves.
• Deformed leaves with curled edges.
• Severe infestations result in reduced growth and yield.

Preventive Measures:

• Practice regular weeding to remove alternate hosts for thrips.
• Install sticky traps in the field.

Control Measures:

• Spray spinosad at 0.3 ml/l or imidacloprid at 0.5 ml/l.
• Spray neem oil at 3 ml/l.