Beverly S.

Purisima

BSA3B

INSECT-PEST AND BENIFICIAL INSECT

IN LETTUCE PRODUCTION

Sucking insect pests

Lettuce Management:
Lactuca sativa, is an annual leafy vegetable Natural enemies play a major role in managing
belonging to the family Asteraceae. This is the pest., green lacewings (Chrysopa spp. and
commonly served as leafy salad. Being a leafy Chrysoperla spp.), pirate bugs (Orius spp.),
vegetable, the quality of the product can be predatory mites, etc. occur naturally to kill the
drastically decreased by infestation by pests pest. Crop sanitation by removing all plant
and pathogens, thus causing major economic residue will surely make a difference in the pest
loss to farmers. Even though the pests are not infestation severity. Timely application of a
host-specific, they can cause huge loss recommended dose of insecticides as and when
depending on the season (Barriere et al., necessary to prevent thrips damage.
2014). The insect pest can be categorized as
sucking pests and chewing pests according to
their mode of feeding.

1. Aphid: Damage symptom:

These insects belong to the family Aphididae The adults and nymphs suck sap from plant
of the order Hemiptera. Aphids are small soft parts thereby causing reduction in plant
bodied insects not more than 5mm (about 0.2 development and stunting. Leaf chlorosis,
in) in size. There are different aphid species distortion and plant wilting are the visible
attacking lettuce. The aphids are green peach symptoms. The honeydew excreted by aphids
aphid (Myzus persicae), currant-lettuce aphid causes sooty mould development on the leaf
(Nasonovia ribisnigri), potato aphid surface, impairing photosynthesis.
(Macrosiphum euphorbiae), foxglove aphid
(Aulacorthum solani) and lettuce root aphid
(Pemphigus bursarius).
Management: Whiteflies:
Aphids can be effectively managed by using The adult insects are 1-3 mm in the Family
neonicotinoid insecticides. The development Aleyrodidae. Bemisia tabaci is the whitefly
of resistance in many aphid species to which is generally resent in lettuce ecosystem.
neonicotinoids forced us to look for This is a highly polyphagous pest with more
alternatives. Flonicamid and spirotetramet than 1000 host plants. Whitefly serves as a
were found to be highly effective against vector for lettuce chlorosis virus. Adult
lettuce aphids. Different predators such as whiteflies are a small moth-like insect with a
ladybird beetles and syrphid flies help in snowy white appearance, they inhabit mostly on
 suppressing aphid population in the field the under surface of leaves.
(Parker et al., 2002). .
Damage symptom: Management:
Both adults and nymphs suck sap from the Seed treatment with neonicotinoids can manage
plant parts. A large population of whitefly, the flies in the first 30 days of growth. Use of
during the early stages of the crop, can retard insecticides with a different mode of action can
growth, delay crop maturity, and cause effectively manage the pests without the
yellowing and stunting Production of development of resistance problems.
honeydew also causes sooty mould
development leading to inhibition of
photosynthesis (Subbarao et al., 2017).
3. Thrips: Damage symptoms:
Thrips are minute, slender, soft-bodied insects The adults and nymphs suck sap using their
with fringed wings belonging to the Family piercing and sucking mouth parts. They lacerate
Thripidae under the order Thysanoptera. Four the epidermal tissues and then suck the sap.
thrips species are found infesting lettuce crop, Development of scars, silvery appearance of the
viz., the western flower thrips (Frankliniella leaves etc. is the damaging symptoms observed
occidentalis), tobacco thrips (F. fusca), onion the lettuce heads can also become unmarketable
thrips (Thrips tabaci), and bean thrips by the presence of insects and frass (Natwick et
(Caliothrips fasciatus), among which western al., 2007). The bean thrips act as a vector for
flower thrips are most common. tomato spotted wilt and Impatience necrotic spot
virus.

Lepidopterous pests
1. Beet armyworm: Management:
Spodoptera exigua belonging to the family Close monitoring is needed for the detection of
Noctuidae is a pest with a wide host range. Its the pests because the damage cannot be seen from
activity varies with climatic conditions. The above. Mechanical measures are most effective,
caterpillars are the damaging stage of the pest. such as, collecting the egg mass, culling the
The adult moth lays about 50–150 eggs per mass affected heads etc. The Beet armyworms are
on lettuce leaves and the neonate larvae feed on attacked by several natural enemies, such as
leaves in an aggregate manner but disperse from parasitic wasps (Hyposoter exiguae and Chelonus
the second instar. The life cycle can be completed insularis) and the tachinid fly parasite (Lespesia
in as few as 24 days, and six or more generations archippivora). Another armyworm species,
can be produced per year in locations with warm Mythimna unipuncta also attacks the lettuce crop
climates. Severe damage can be caused at the occasionally.
seedling stage and head formation stage where the
larvae can bore from the bottom.
2. Loopers: Damage symptom:
Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) and alfalfa The early instars skeletonize the under surface of
looper (Autographa california) cause serious leaves and the mature larvae bore into the head of
damage to lettuce also. the lettuce plant. At the seedling stage, the crop
gets collapsed by a high population of looper
larvae
Management: 3. Cutworm:
The population of natural enemies in the field There are many species of cutworms infesting
keep the population low. The egg parasitoids such lettuce plants. The Black cutworm (Agrotis
as Trichogramma pretiosum, Hyposoter exiguae, ipsilon), variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia),
Copidosoma truncatellum, and Microplitis and granulate cutworm (Feltia subterranea) are
 brassica and larval parasites such as tachinid flies the major species. Larvae are the damaging stage,
(Voria ruralis) are the major ones reported and they attack during the night and they hide in
(Subbarao et al., 2017). loose soil or leaf litter during the day. The larvae
of most species curl into a characteristic C-shape
when disturbed.
Damage symptoms: Management:
The larvae of these insects can destroy the field Management is most effective when initiated
and give a grazed appearance. The larvae mostly before planting. Thorough monitoring of the field
migrate from weedy areas to the field. They cut and premise for the cutworm larvae and removal
off the seedling from the base just above the soil of weeds near the fields. Larvae can be revealed
surface. by digging around the bases of injured plants and
sifting the soil. A water-filled ditch can also
prevent mass migrations from an adjacent field by
acting as a barrier.

Dipterous insects
1. Leaf miner: Damage symptoms:
The insects belong to the family Agromyzidae. The immature stage, maggots, cause damage by
The leaf miner species known to attack lettuce are feeding mesophyll tissue between the upper and
the pea leafminer (Liriomyza langei), the lower leaf surface layer and causing mines. The
serpentine leafminer (L. trifolii), and the vegetable presence of these mines reduces the quality of
leafminer (L. sativae). lettuce and make them unmarketable (Palumbo et
al., 2004). Adults also cause damage by
puncturing the leaf surface with their ovipositor.
These wounds can serve as infection points for
secondary pathogens, including bacteria.
Management: 2. Seedcorn maggot:
Being a polyphagous pest on different vegetable The seedcorn maggot (Delia platura) is a serious
crops, it is advisable not to plant lettuce next to pest of lettuce crops belonging to the family,
leaf minor affected vegetable fields. Application Anthomyiidae. It attacks the crop during stand
of insecticides is recommended for leaf miner establishment.
infestation.
Damage Symptoms: Management:
The maggots burrow into the germinating seeds When the symptoms are noticed, the seeds should
and prevent germination. Lettuce seedlings can be dug up and observed for the presence of
also be killed by these immature stages. Poor maggots. The previous crop residues should be
establishment of the crop is the first visible properly decomposed before the planting of the
symptom of pest damage. They prefer a wet and lettuce crop and the addition of non-decomposed
cool climate and will be most abundant during organic matter should be avoided.
spring (Subbarao et al., 2017).

Coleopterous insects
1. Leaf beetles: Damage Symptoms:
Leaf beetles become an important pest in lettuce Leaves get damaged by the grubs and the adults of
because of their feeding behaviour by making a the beetle, making irregular holes. Adults are
small hole on the leaves, becoming unmarketable. more damage causing. They are found attacking
They belong to the family Chrysomelidae. the crop at every stage of the crop. The loss will
be severe when the leaves are attacked at the
seedling stage.
Management: 2. Flea beetles:
The beetles can thrive well in many weed host This is also a Chrysomelid beetle found attacking
plants, so killing the weeds are much important in lettuce. There are three species associated with
managing the pest. Use of insecticides in the lettuce namely, the palestriped flea beetle
group pyrethroids are recommended for its (Systena blanda) the striped flea beetle
control. (Phyllotreta striolata), the western black flea
beetle (P. pusilla), and the western striped flea
beetle (P. ramose).
Damage symptom: 3. Wireworm:
They also cause round or irregular shaped holes Another Coleopterous insect attacking lettuce
mostly on the undersurface of the leaves. crop is wireworm belonging to the family
Management is as same as leaf beetles. Elateridae. The species of the pest is corn
wireworm (Melanotus communis) found in
Florida and Pacific Coast wireworm (Limonius
canus) reported from the United States.
Damage: Management:
The habitat of the larvae of wireworms are the Fallow flooding to kill the larvae is one of the
roots. They burrow into the root cortical region, important management practices. Rotation of
hollowing out the core region, and causing the lettuce with rice was found effective (Barsics et
complete killing of the plant. The occurrence of al., 2013).
multiple larval stages, which move up and down
in the soil to get favorable temperature and
moisture. The insect completes its life cycle in 2-6
years (Subbarao et al., 2017). The adults also
cause damage by foliar feeding, but insignificant