21-36 days: 2.0 kg 19-19-19/fertigation (6 fertigations)

39-57 days: 3.0 kg 19-19-19/ +1.0 kg KNO₃+1.0 kg urea/fertigations (7 fertigations)

60-102 days: 5kg 19-19-19/ +1.0 kg KNO₃+1.5 kg urea/fertigation  (15 fertigations)

(108 kg 19-all+22 kg KNO₃ + 30 kg urea)

This pest attacks the crop at its early stage of growth. Small, greenish leaf hoppers; nymphs and adults are found on the under side of the leaves. The adults and the nymphs suck the cell sap from the leaves. As a result the leaves curl upwards along the margins and have a burnt look which extend over the entire leaf area. The affected plants show a stunted growth

Apply neem cake @100 kg/acre to beds after germination only and repeat after 30 days.

Sprays PNSPE (40 g/l) or Neem soap (10 g/l)  at 7-10 days interval

Spray  Imidacloprid (0.3ml/l) or Thiamethoxam (0.3g/l) (only once before flowering) or Quinalphos 25 EC (1.5 ml/l) or Dimethoate 30 EC (3 ml/l)

Larvae feed on leaves, flower buds, flowers, grains, and bore into pods and fruits. Excrements (faeces / waste) of the feeding caterpillars are evident on damaged plant parts.

Look out for eggs and small caterpillars. Early detection of eggs, or young caterpillars before they bore into the fruits or pods is very important. Once the caterpillars have entered the fruit/pod they are difficult to control and by then they have caused damage. Early detection can be achieved by regular scouting of the crop. Monitoring moth population by using pheromone traps reduces crop inspection time considerably and leads to timely intervention.

Spray of  PNSPE (40 g/l)  or Neem soap (10 g/l) at 7-10 days interval. Apply neem cake @ 100 kg/acre after germination and repeat two more times at 30 days interval.

Collect and destroy the infected fruits and grown up larvae. Do not spray insecticides after maturity of fruits. Apply nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HaNPV) @250-500 larval equivalent/ha.

or Cypermethrin  10 EC (1.5 ml/l) or Emamectin Benzoate 5 SG (0.3 ml/l) or Fenvalerate 20 EC (0.5 ml/l) or Lambda-Cyhalothrin 5 EC ( 0.75 ml/l) or Phosalone 35 EC (2.0 ml/l) or Pyridalyl 10 EC (1.0 ml/l) or Quinalphos 25 EC (1.5ml/l)

This is a polyphagous pest, feeding in colonies and completely covers the shoot tips, buds and lower surface of leaves. Both nymphs and adults suck the sap. They also excrete honeydew on which sooty mould develops. Aphids live in clusters (known as colonies) on leaves and stems. Initially they are present on tender parts of the plant (young shoots and leaves), but as their number increases they can cover the whole plant. As the colony grows winged aphids are produced which fly away looking for new plants to start a new colony.

Thoroughly spray neem or pongamia soap (1%) or pulverized neem seed powder extract (PNSPE) 4%.

Onion, garlic and Mexican marigold repel aphids. Try planting few near the crops.

Try blasting aphids with a strong jet of water. Because of their weak legs, many of the dislodged aphids will not be able to crawl back up the plants. Repeat every few days until the problem is under control.

Aphids are especially attracted to mustards. You can plant these near more valuable plants as traps for the aphids.

Chilli pepper 
Cut half a kg of hot chilli peppers in small pieces and boil them in 4 litres of water for 20 minutes. Add equal amount of soapy (bar soap) water, cool and spray (KIOF). or

Pulverise 100g chillies in a mortar, shake vigorously with 1 litre of water and filter through a cloth. Dilute 1 part of this mixture with 5 parts of soapy water before spraying (G. Stoll, 1988). Chilli also repels ants.

or   Acetamiprid (0.15g/l) or  Imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.2 ml/l) or Thiamethoxam 70 WS (0.3 ml/l)

The infestation of mites is mostly observed during the warm and dry periods of the season. Nymphs and adults lacerate the leaves resulting in whitish grey patches and affected leaves become mottled, turn brown and fall. Mites usually extract the cell contents from the leaves using their long, needle- like mouthparts. This results in reduced chlorophyll content in the leaves, leading to the formation of white or yellow speckles on the leaves. In severe infestations, leaves completely desiccate and drop off. The mites also produce webbing on the leaf surfaces in severe conditions.

Prune leaves, stems and other infested parts of plants well past any webbing and discard in trash (and not in compost piles).

Spray Pulvarized Neem Seed Powder Extract (PNSPE) (4%) or Wettable Sulphur 80WP (3g/l) or Dicofol 18.5 EC (2.5 ml/l) or  Quinalphos 25 EC (1.5ml/l)  or  Fenazaquin 10 EC (2.5 ml/l) or Fenpropathrin 30 EC (0.3 ml/l).

Spray lower surface of the leaves where mites are generally found.

Disease appears on all foliar part as white to dull white, powdery growth. This white growth quickly covers most of the leaf surface and leads to heavy reduction in photosynthesis area. The disease is most commonly observed on the upper sides of the leaves. It also affects the lower sides of leaves, young stems, buds, flowers and young fruit. Infected leaves may become distorted, turn yellow with small patches of green, and fall prematurely. Infected buds may fail to open.

Once the disease becomes a problem avoid late-season applications of nitrogen fertilizer to limit the production of succulent tissue, which is more susceptible to infection. Avoid overhead watering to help reduce the relative humidity.

Remove and destroy all infected plant parts (leaves, etc.). For infected vegetables and other annuals, remove after harvest as much as possible of the plant and its debris. This decreases the ability of the fungus to survive to next season. Do not compost infected plant debris. Temperatures in the compost often are not hot enough to kill the fungus.

Selectively prune overcrowded plant material to help increase air circulation. This helps reduce relative humidity and infection.

Apply Wettable sulphur (3.0g/l) or Neem Oil (15ml/l) or Flusilazole (0.3 ml/l) or Dinocap (1.0 ml/l) or Hexaconazole (0.5 ml/l) or Difenoconazole (0.6 ml/l) three-four times at 15 days interval

Leaf spot can be serious in humid warm areas. It causes leaf spots of various shapes. It grows as a sooty to dark oily (olivaceous) mould on the underside of leaves, but when infection is severe and conditions are very humid it also appears on upper surface of infected leaves. Seriously infected foliage rolls, wilts and falls to the ground.

Since the fungus survives on the diseased plant material, removal and destruction and of diseased plant material helps to check the spread of the disease.

Spray Chlorothalonil (2.0g/l ) or Pre packed mixture of Carbendazim+ Mancozeb (2.0 g/l).

The disease is effectively controlled by spraying with Copper Oxychloride (0.3%) or Zineb (0.2%) starting from about a month after sowing and repeating at fortnightly intervals, depending upon the severity of the disease incidence.

This disease is caused by fungi, which persist in the soil for a very long time. Initially the plants show temporary wilting symptoms, which becomes permanent and progressive, affecting more vines. The leaves of the affected plants show yellowing, loose turgidity and show drooping symptoms. Eventually, the plant dies. In older plants, leaves wilt suddenly and vascular bundles in the collar region become yellow or brown.

Continuous cultivation of bhendi on the same piece of land should be avoided.

Drenching of Bordaux mixture (1%) or Pre packed mixture of Carbendazim+ Mancozeb (2g/l)

The symptoms include alternate green and yellow patches, vein clearing, and vein chlorosis of leaves. The yellow network of veins is very conspicuous, and vein and veinlets are thickened. In severe cases, the chlorosis may extend to the interveinal area and may result in complete yellowing of leaves. Fruits are dwarfed, malformed, and yellow green. The whitefly vector reproduces to significant numbers during the summer season when it transmits the virus between okra plants.

Control white flies:

Growing African marigold has been reported to discourage whiteflies.

Tobacco Decoction: Boil 1 kg tobacco dust in 10 liters of water for 30 minutes to attain coffee red colour. Add water to the boiling solution to make 10 litres volume. Cool and filter the decoction using a thin muslin cloth. Add soap @ 2 g/l and dilute to 80 to 100 litres for spray. This preparation is effective against whitefly, aphids, and leafhoppers. Tobacco decoction should not be used frequently as it is toxic to natural enemies.

Neem-based pesticides are reported to control young nymphs, inhibit growth and development of older nymphs, and reduce egg laying by adult whiteflies. Efficacy of neem-based pesticides can be enhanced by adding 0.1 to 0.5% of soft soap.

Yellow sticky traps usually used to monitor the presence of whiteflies for timing of interventions, have also been used as a control method for low density infestations in enclosed environments. Yellow plastic gallon containers mounted upside down on sticks coated with transparent automobile grease or used motor oil. These should be placed in and around the field at about 10 cm above the foliage. Clean and re-oil when traps are covered with flies.

Spray Imidacloprid 200S L (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxom 25 WP (0.3g/l) in nursery after 15 days of sowing and after 15 days of planting in main field.

Drench the protrays with Imidacloprid 200SL (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxom 25 WP (0.3g/l) one day before transplanting.

Use of resistant cultivars.

And Okra fruit distortion mosaic

The virus is transmitted by white fly.

Remove the infected plant and burn them to avoid further spread of disease.

Control white flies:

Growing African marigold has been reported to discourage whiteflies.

Tobacco Decoction: Boil 1 kg tobacco dust in 10 liters of water for 30 minutes to attain coffee red colour. Add water to the boiling solution to make 10 litres volume. Cool and filter the decoction using a thin muslin cloth. Add soap @ 2 g/l and dilute to 80 to 100 litres for spray. This preparation is effective against whitefly, aphids, and leafhoppers. Tobacco decoction should not be used frequently as it is toxic to natural enemies.

Neem-based pesticides are reported to control young nymphs, inhibit growth and development of older nymphs, and reduce egg laying by adult whiteflies. Efficacy of neem-based pesticides can be enhanced by adding 0.1 to 0.5% of soft soap.

Yellow sticky traps usually used to monitor the presence of whiteflies for timing of interventions, have also been used as a control method for low density infestations in enclosed environments. Yellow plastic gallon containers mounted upside down on sticks coated with transparent automobile grease or used motor oil. These should be placed in and around the field at about 10 cm above the foliage. Clean and re-oil when traps are covered with flies.

Spray Imidacloprid 200S L (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxam 25 WP (0.3 g/l) in nursery after 15 days of sowing and after 15 days of planting in main field

Drench the protrays with Imidacloprid 200SL (0.3ml/l) or Thiomethoxam 25 WP (0.3g/l) one day before transplanting