Tea Pests

Pests of National Significance

Pests and mites

• Tea mosquito bug: Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse (Miridae: Hemiptera)
• Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)
• Jassid: Empoasca flavescens Fab. (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)
• Aphids: Toxoptera aurantii Boyer de Fonscolombe (Aphididae: Hemiptera)
• Leaf eating caterpillar: Spodoptera litura Fab (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• Bunch caterpillar: Andraca bipunctata Walker (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera)
• Red spider mite: Oligonychus coffeae Nietner (Tetranychidae: Acari)
• Tea looper complex: Buzura suppressaria Guen (Geometridae: Lepidoptera), Hyposidra talaca (Walker), H. infixaria (Walker) (Geometridae: Lepidoptera)
• Shot hole borer: Euwallacea fornicates Eichhoff (Scolytidae: Coleoptera)
• Live wood eating termite: Microcerotermes sp. (Isoptera:Termitidae)
• Scavenging termites: Odontermes sp. (Isoptera:Termitidae)

Diseases

• Brown and Grey blight: Colletotrichum sp. & Pestalotiopsis theae (Sawada) Steyaert
• Black rot: Corticium theae, C. invisum
• Blister blight: Exobasidium vexans Massee
• Red rust: Cephaleuros parasiticus Scot Nelson, C,mycoides
• Poria branch canker: Poria hypobrunnea Petch
• Charcol stump rot: Ustulina zonata (Lév.) Sacc.
• Brown root rot disease: Fomes lamoensis

Weeds

Broad leaf

• Goat weed: Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae)
• Landrina: Borreria hispida L. (Rubiaceae)
• Tropical spider wort: Commelina benghalensis L. (Commelinaceae)
• Hill glory bower: Clerodendron infortunatum L. (Verbinaceae)
• Malabar melastome: Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae)
• Bitter Vine: Mikania micrantha Kunth (Aseteraceae)
• Non tai baihong: Pouzolzia indica (L.) G. Benn (Urticaceae)
• Congo jute: Urena lobata L. (Malvaceae)
• Wood sorrels: Oxalis corymbosa L., O. acetocella (Oxalidaceae)
• Kuppaimeni: Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae)
• Common wireweed: Sida acuta Burm.f. (Malvaceae)
• Aligator yam: Ipomea digitata L. (Convolvulaceae)
• Cichorium: Cichorium intybus L. (Astaraceae)
• False amaranth: Digera arvensis Forsk. (Amaranthaceae)
• Asthma plant: Euphorbia spp. (Euphorbiaceae)

Grasses

• Buffalo grass: Paspalum conjugatum L. (Poaceae)
• Torpedo grass: Pannicum repens L. (Poaceae)
• Blady grass: Imperata cylendrica (L.) P.Beauv. (Poaceae)
• Hairy crabgrass: Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. (Poaceae)
• Indian goosegrass: Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. (Poaceae)
• Blanket grass: Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P.Beauv. (Poaceae)
• Bermuda grass: Cynadon dactylon L. (Poaceae)
• Kans grass: Saccharum spontanium L. (Poaceae)

Sedges

• Purple nutsedge: Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperaceae)
• Yellow nutsedge: Cyperus esculentus L. (Cyperaceae)

Nematodes

• Root knot nematode: Meloidogyne spp (Heteroderidae: Tylenchida)
• Root lesion nematode: Pratylenchus spp

Pests of Minor Significance

Pests and mites

• Flush worm: Cydia leucostoma Meyrick (Tortricidae: Lepidoptera)
• Pink and Purple mite: Acaphylla theae Watt and Calacarus carinatus Green (Eriophyidae: Acarina)
• Scarlet mite: Brevipalpus phoenicis Geijskes (Tenuipalpidae : Acarina)
• Yellow mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks (Tarsonemidae: Acarina)
• Leaf roller: Caloptilia theivora Walsingham (Gracillariidae: Lepidoptera)
• Scales: Saissetia formicarii Takahashi, S. coffeae Walker, Eriochiton theae Green, Coccus viridis Green (Coccidae: Hemiptera)
• Tea tortrix: Homona coffearia Nietner (Tortricide: Lepidoptera)

Diseases

• Black root disease: Rosellinia arcuata Petch
• Charcoal stump rot: Ustulina zonata (Lév.) Sacc.
• Collar canker: Phomopsis theae Petch
• Branch Canker: Poria hypobrunnea Petch
• Twig die back, stem canker: Macrophoma theicola Siemaszko

IPM for Tea

To know the IPM practices for Tea, click here.

Source: NIPHM; Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage