Symptoms
The leaves of the plant are seen folded, rolled and often webbed together with white patches on them indicating the areas fed by caterpillar. When such folded leaves are opened up, larvae can be seen. Shaded conditions and application of excess nitrogen are conducive for leaf folder attack.
Management
1. Open up the leaf folds with the help of a thorny twig.
2. Apply one of the following insecticides in the field where the symptoms of attack are manifested: quinalphos, phosalone, cartap hydrochloride, flubendiamide, acephate, indoxacarb and dichlorvos,Carbosulphan 6G, Chlorantriniliprole 4 G.
Note: - In the initial stages restrict spraying to infested patches only. The field may be sprayed completely in case the infestation occurs uniformly.
Eco-friendly management:
1.Trichogramma japonicum and T. chilonis each @ 1 lakh/ ha + Beauvaria bassiana @ 10gm/ litre
2. Chitin based pseudomonas @ 2.5 kg/ha, Bacillus thuringiensis @ 200 g/ha, fish jiggery extract @ 6ml/litre, azadiractin 1% @ 750 ml/litre.