FACTSHEETS FOR FARMERS
www.plantwise.org
Created in
Cambodia
,
November
2012
(Revised August 2014)
Black cutworm on leafy vegetables
Recognize the problem
Larvae (caterpillars) are gray or brown and reach 3-4 cm in length. They feed
on leaves, making small holes. After few days, the caterpillars drop to the soil
where they live until pupation. The larvae cut the stems of young seedlings at
soil level, killing them. This affects the establishment of the crop. Adults have a
wingspan of about 3.5-5 cm and are brownish in color with black slashes near
the outer edges of the front wings. Eggs are usually laid in soil.
Background
This pest attacks all garden vegetables, especially new seedlings and
transplants. After moving to the soil, caterpillars are seldom seen in the day as
they remain in the soil during the daytime and come out at night to feed.
Management
•
Eliminate weeds early, well before transplanting
•
Dig near damaged seedlings and destroy cutworms
•
Plough and harrow the field to expose cutworms to natural enemies and
desiccation
•
Avoid use of broad-spectrum insecticides to conserve natural enemies
like ground beetles, lacewings, praying mantises, parasitic wasps and
ants. Birds are also natural enemies of cutworms.
•
Use botanical pesticide, e.g. fresh neem, lemongrass, ginger. 1 litre/15
litres of water.
•
Apply a biopesticide like Bt (
Bacillus thuringiensis
) in the evening
•
If the crop is heavily infested then use a chemical insecticide like
abamectin (0.5 ml/l water), fenobucarb (e.g. Bascide, 20-30ml/8 l
water), permethrin (1 ml/l water) or alpha-cypermethrin (e.g. Attach).
Please refer to G&Y list for more details.
Scientific name(s)
>
Agrotis ipsilon
The recommendations in this factsheet are relevant to
:
Cambodia
Authors
:
General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA)
No. 54B/49F, St. 395-656, Sangkat Teuk La Ak, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
tel:
+855 23 631 9 070
Edited by
Plantwise
Plantwise is a global initiative led by CABI
KH017En
Lose Less, Feed More
Black cutworm larva (Agrotis
ipsilon) lying next to the damage it
caused to a young corn plant.
(Photo by W.M. Hantsbarger (CC
BY))
Adult moth.
(Photo by Merle
Shepard, Gerald R.Carner, and
P.A.C Ooi, Insects and their Natural
Enemies Associated with
Vegetables and Soybean in
Southeast Asia (CC BY))
When using a pesticide, always wear protective clothing and follow the instructions on the product label, such
as dosage, timing of application, and pre-harvest interval.
