Entomology

30. Physiological disorders

A. Blossom End Rot (BER)

• Cause: Calcium deficiency, irregular watering
• Symptoms: Dark sunken spot at fruit base
• Management:
• • CaNO₃ spray
  • Uniform irrigation

B. Fruit Cracking

• Cause: Sudden moisture changes
• Symptoms: Radial/longitudinal cracks
• Management: Mulching, regulated watering

C. Sunscald

• Cause: Direct sunlight exposure
• Management: Maintain leaf cover

D. Puffiness

• Cause: Poor pollination
• Management: Boron spray

31. Plant protection — Pests (common)

A. Fruit Borer (Helicoverpa armigera)

• Symptoms: Holes in fruits, internal feeding
• Biological control:
• • Trichogramma cards
  • Neem oil 5%
• Chemical control:
• • Emamectin benzoate
  • Spinosad
  • Indoxacarb

B. Whitefly

• Symptoms: Leaf curling, sooty mold, virus transmission
• Biological control: Yellow sticky traps
• Chemical control: Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam

C. Aphids

• Symptoms: Curling, sticky honeydew
• Biological control: Ladybird beetles
• Chemical control: Acephate, Dimethoate

D. Thrips

• Symptoms: Silvering of leaves, distorted fruits
• Biological control: Blue sticky traps
• Chemical control: Fipronil, Spinosad

32. Plant protection — Diseases (common)

A. Early Blight (Alternaria solani)

• Symptoms: Concentric ring spots
• Biological control: Trichoderma
• Chemical control: Mancozeb, Chlorothalonil

B. Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)

• Symptoms: Water-soaked lesions, rapid spread
• Control:
• • Copper fungicides
  • Metalaxyl-M mixtures

C. Tomato Leaf Curl Virus (TLCV)

• Symptoms: Curling, stunting, yellowing
• Biological: Vector control
• Chemical: Imidacloprid for whitefly control

D. Damping-off

• Symptoms: Seedling collapse
• Control:
• • Trichoderma
  • Captan / Carbendazim