White grubs : Holotrichia consanguinea and Holotrichia serrata Symptoms of damage

• Wilting of plants in patches.
• Wilted plants do not have taproot and rootlets.
• The grubs feed on the root and rootlets.
• Adult beetles feed on the foliage and are capable of defoliating plants and even trees like neem, banyan. Feeding is carried out during night.

Identification of the pest

• Eggs: Creamy white and round shaped and laid in clusters.
• Grub : Creamy white colored with brown head, fleshy, curved and C shaped.

• Pupa : Pupation deeper in soil in earthen chambers.

• Adults: Dark brown beetle with striated wings not covering the abdomen fully. Beetles emerge from soil with monsoon showers.

Management :

• Deep summer ploughing with pre-monsoon showers to expose grub and pupa to predation by birds.
• Set up a light trap @ 1 / ha or bonfires to attract and kill the adults on receipt of summer showers.
• Collect and destroy the adult beetles harboured in neem and Ailanthus trees near groundut fields in the evening hours using powerful petromax lights
• Adequate irrigation in endemic areas reduce the grub attacks on roots
• Apply Carbofuran 3 CG 13.3 kg/ac