3. Leaf miner: Acrocercops syngramma (Gracillariidae: Lepidoptera)

 

Distribution and status: India and other cashew growing areas.
Host range: Cashewnut

 

Damage symptoms

Mining of leaves by caterpillars. The thin epidermal peels swells up in the mined areas and appear as whitish blistered patches on the leaf surface. In the older leaves these blisters dry and droop off leaving big holes.

 

Bionomics

           
The eggs are laid on very tender leaves. Egg period is 2 - 3 days. The freshly hatched caterpillars are pale white, turning to reddish brown when fully grown. Larval period 14 days. Larva pupates in soil. Pupal period 7 – 9 days. The adult is silvery grey moth.

 

Management

Spray 2.0 kg carbaryl 50 WP or 1.25 L of malathion 50 EC or 1.5 L of endosulfan 35 EC in 1500 - 2000 of water/ha.