Tunnel makers cause significant damage to plant leaves. In this article on your website, World of Plants, we explain how to deal with this pest.
Appearance of jassid infestation on leaves
- Tunnel maker insect: leaf miner
- Scientific name: Liriomyza trifolii
The insect prefers to infest the nursery and permanent land, especially in the early stages of the plant’s life (seedling stage). • The insect appears from April until October.
The insect larvae feeds between the epidermis of the leaf in the form of longitudinal, winding tunnels, where the site of infection becomes brown at the end of the larvae’s life. The insect’s pupa is seen in the tunnels when exposed to sunlight, and it causes the new leaves of the seedlings to fall when the same leaf is repeatedly infested by more than one insect.
Harmful stage: larvae
Tunnel makers are small, cylindrical, legless worms with a pointed front end and carrying biting mouthparts at the end! It is characterized by its hardness, dark color, and its ability to shrink and protrude as it burrows into the leaf tissue.
The first larval age of the larvae is white in color and changes to a brown color during the rest of the larval ages.
Appearance of infestation by tunnel makers in pepper and eggplant:
- There are silvery, winding tunnels on the upper surface of the leaf.
- Mild infections or those that occur near the end of the life of plants do not have a harmful effect on the crop
- At the beginning of the life of plants, with the severity of the infestation in the first stages of growth and the increase in the number of larvae inside the leaf tissue (severe infestation), it leads to yellowing and drying of the leaves, cessation of growth, lack of flowers, and weak fruits.
- As the severity of the plant infection increases, the infected plants become weak and dwarf, and the yield is severely reduced
- The infection appears most severe on the lower leaves, followed by the severity of the infection on the middle leaves, then the upper leaves.
- As the infection intensifies, the infection spreads to the entire plant at the end of the season
- Female caterpillars also cause severe damage through their egg-laying apparatus, which causes the entire plant to weaken.
Location of tunnel maker insect infestation
The injury occurs between the epidermis of the leaf, and as a result, the green cells that carry chlorophyll are destroyed, which severely affects the process of photosynthesis, leading to a decrease and weakness of the crop.
Howls of tunnel-making insects
The most important pests of tunnel makers include beans, peas, cowpeas, soybeans, onions, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other crops.
Conditions for the spread of the tunnel maker insect
Tunnel maker insect infestations spread during the spring, starting in March, April, and May, and they also appear during October and November.
Number of generations of tunnel makers
The number of generations of the tunnel maker insect ranges from 5 to 10 generations per year.
Methods of controlling tunnel makers insects on eggplant
- Collect infected leaves and cull them outside the field.
- Taking care of agricultural operations and removing weeds while following an appropriate agricultural cycle.
- Spray plants preventatively with one of the following pesticides:
- Trigard 10% SL pesticide at a rate of 850 cc/acre.
- water
- Or Affect S 50% SP pesticide at a rate of 125 g/100 liters of water.
- Or Danco Thwaite 40% EC pesticide at a rate of 150 cubic centimeters/100 liters of water
Controlling the tunnel maker insect
- Pay attention to keeping the ground clean from weeds, especially broad-leaved ones.
- Use seedlings free of infection and from a reliable source.
- Periodic examination to identify the presence of the insect by examining the leaves weekly.
- Chemical control is common with the red spider.
In conclusion, we would like to note that we, at the world of plants website, offer you all the necessary services in the world of plants, we provide all farmers and those interested in plants with three main services::-
- Artificial intelligence consulting service to help you identify diseases that affect plants and how to deal with them.
- Blog about plants, plant diseases and care of various crops ... You are currently browsing one of her articles right now.
- An application that provides agricultural consultations to clients, as well as a service for imaging diseases and knowing their treatment for free – Click to download the Android version from Google Play Store، Click to download the IOS version from the Apple App Store.
English 
Arabic