*4.1.3.2 Management*


*Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Oil Palm,* Elaeis guineensis *Jacq. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108580*

should be timed to coincide with their most frequent occurrences. If the palms grow too tall and cannot be sprayed, systemic insecticides like monocrotophos or imidacloprid may be be applied via stem injection or root feeding. If sprayed correctly and irrigated, granular pesticides like phorate or carbofuran applied at a rate of 100–150 g per palm in a basin may also be beneficial.

## *4.1.4 Leaf web worm,* Acria meyricki *(Depressaridae)*

The pest was first recorded during the winter months of 1995–1996 [26]. The occurrence was erratic for a decade and later confined to few gardens in alternate years. From 2005 onwards, it's become an everyday pest occurring each year in Krishna, East, and West Godavari districts of the state. In some regions where palm trees have grown to a certain height and where the leaves of nearby palm trees combine, the pest has become endemic. This has created an ideal environment for the insect's growth. In those orchards where the palms received more basin irrigation due to flood irrigation with more water than necessary, the infestation was made worse. The leaf webworm, *A. meyricki*, has been linked to yield losses of up to 34%. It was only occasionally and sporadically seen as a pest during the winter. The bug disappears as the temperature rises. Typically, the incidence is seen between October and April. It was discovered that the larval population had a substantial negative correlation with weather variables including maximum and lowest temperatures, and that the relationship between the mean temperature and ratio and rainfall was insignificant (**Figure 5**) [27, 28].

**Figure 5.** *Leaf web worm on oil palm.*

#### *4.1.4.1 Biology and nature of injury*

About 62.5 eggs are laid by a female moth in clusters (in confined conditions). The time span is 4–6 days, with 4.7 days serving as the median. Egg hatchability is 95.6%, ranging from 92.8 to 100%. The larval stage has 6–7 instars, which it goes through in an incredibly long 20.7 days. The larva reaches the pre-pupal stage, which lasts 1 day, when it has reached maturity, stops feeding, shrinks in size, and ceases growing. Pupa stage duration is 5.8 days. A typical adult lives for 5.4 days. From egg to adult stage, the entire life span begins in 30–44 days [29]. The larval stage that remains inside and is active on the underside of the leaves is the caterpillar. The early instars scrape the leaves, and the later instars cause defoliation.

They first cause significant defoliation by nibbling on the elder leaves. The caterpillars go to the following top leaves once the lower leaves have completely been destroyed. Due of a bad infestation, the leaflets were dried out and gave off the appearance of being burned. When disturbed, the larvae dangle from silken threads and either go to nearby palm trees or are pulled back and pursue the same leaves. The infection can easily spread due to the intermixing of palm fronds in the garden. The larvae are discovered eating on cocoa,*Theobroma cocoa*, coconut, *Cocos nusifera* and decorative edible seed, *Areca catechu*, banana, and a few different kinds of grass in the gardens during a serious infestation. When oil palm and cocoa are intercropped, cocoa is frequently infested.

#### *4.1.4.2 Management*


#### *4.1.5 Tobacco caterpillar,* Spodoptera litura *Fb. (Noctuidae)*

During the months of February and March, sporadic instances of the bug feeding on the oil palm nursery leaves are noted. This is particularly typical in nurseries that

*Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Oil Palm,* Elaeis guineensis *Jacq. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108580*

**Figure 6.** *Life cycle of Tobacco caterpillar.*

are built close to tobacco or corn fields. After harvesting the nearby corn fields, the insect may migrate to the oil palm plantations (**Figure 6**).
