Introduction: EFSB (Leucinodes orbonalis) is a significant pest affecting garden egg (Solanum gilo) in Nigeria, causing severe shoot and fruit damage. Understanding its biology is essential for effective management.

Life Cycle:

• Completes life cycle in approximately 28 days under favorable conditions.

• Involves egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages.

Reproductive Parameters:

• Male to female ratio: 1:2

• Fecundity: 123 (actual) to 207 (potential) eggs per female

Nature of Damage:

• Larvae bore into shoots, stems, and fruits, causing wilting and yield loss.

• Infested fruits have boreholes plugged with excreta, reducing market value.

• Yield loss: 30-50% in brinjal crops.

• ETL: 0.5% shoot and 5% fruit damage or 8-10 moths/day/trap.

Identification:

• Eggs: Creamy white, laid singly or in groups.

• Larvae: Pink with sparse hairs and brownish head.

• Pupa: Boat-shaped cocoon.

• Adult: White wings with brown and red triangular markings.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

• Destroy damaged shoots and fruits to prevent population buildup.

• Avoid continuous mono-cropping and uproot heavily infested plants.

• Use pheromone traps and light traps for monitoring and mass trapping.

• Erect bird perches to encourage predatory birds.

• Grow resistant varieties (e.g., Pusa Purple Round, Pant Samrat).

• Release egg and larval parasitoids (Trichogramma chilonis, Pristomerus testaceus).

• Use organic insecticides like neem oil, Beauveria bassiana, and Bacillus thuringiensis.

• Apply chemical insecticides (Lambda-cyhalothrin, Emamectin benzoate) if infestation crosses ETL.

Conclusion: Integrated pest management, combining cultural, biological, and chemical methods, is essential for controlling EFSB and minimizing crop losses.

Image: PlantVillage