Aphid (Myzus circumflexus)

Symptoms

• Both adults and nymphs suck plant sap.
• Causes distorted leaves, buds, branch tips, and flowers.
• Severely infested leaves and flowers may drop.
• Aphids excrete sweet, sticky honeydew onto the leaves below. This allows a sooty mold to grow, blocks photosynthesis.

Management

• Remove ants away from the plants.
• Field release of parasitic wasp (Aphidius colemani) is recommended (5 no/ square meter per week).
• Place yellow sticky (castor oil coated) traps to attract and catch the insects
• Spray neem garlic emulsion (20 ml neem oil + 20 gram garlic paste + 5 gram bar soap/litre of water).