Green worms on sweet pepper plants

Disease name: green worms on sweet pepper plants

The scientific name: Spodoptera exigua

Type of disease: insect

Disease family: Lepidoptera

(green worms that attack sweet pepper plants)

• The causes of disease:

Greenworms are mobile, as one larvae can attack several sweet pepper plants in a row. Their life cycle takes about a month to complete in warm weather. They also die due to severe frosts in the fall.

• Symptoms of the disease:

The older worms attack the upper part of the sweet pepper plant, feeding mainly on the growing tips. They produce large holes in the leaf and sometimes strip the leaf up to the middle of the rib. The fruits and buds are also attacked.

• Disease development cycle:

In late spring, females begin laying eggs in groups on the leaves of sweet pepper plants. The eggs hatch within a few days, and the young larvae begin feeding while they are still clustered on the plant. Greenworm larvae mature within two to three weeks.

(Holes made by green worms on the leaves of sweet pepper plants)

• Conditions suitable for the spread of the disease:

These worms are active in the summer, especially during the months of August and September. They need high temperatures in order for their eggs to hatch, and they also concentrate on harmful plants.

• Losses resulting from the spread of the disease:

Green worms cause widespread damage to the growth of the crop, due to the presence of a large number of larvae that attack the leaves and stems and also spread to the fruits and feed on them, causing losses in the quantity and quality of the crop.

(Green worms attack sweet pepper plants)

• Control:

1. Foliar spraying with 5% cottonseed oil helps control both eggs and young larvae.
2. Using pheromones to disrupt mating and prevent reproduction.
3. Use of pesticides. You should avoid using the same active ingredient every time to prevent it from acquiring resistance to these pesticides.
4. Getting rid of harmful plants around the field.

• preventive measures:

1. Regular monitoring of the leaves and fruits of the sweet pepper crop.
2. Good fertilization of the plant.
3. Cleaning the field continuously to avoid worms infecting the crop.
4. Good irrigation for the plant, especially in the summer.

• Sources:
• https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/peppers/beet-armyworm/
• https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef308
• https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/veg/leaf/beet_armyworm.htm