Leaf miners

Damage symptoms : Pale serpentine mines on the upper surface of the leaflets. Heavy attacks lead to defoliation. Description : Adult flies (1.5 mm long) are black and yellow. o Small, white eggs are laid in the punctures made on the upper surface of the leaflets. The egg hatches within 4 days and the yellow, maggot-like larvae tunnels through the parenchyma, forming a mine. The larvae reaches full size (3 mm long) in about a week and pupates either in the leaf, or more commonly in the soil. Mines caused on the surface of the leaflet

Control :

• Low dosages of monocrotophos (0.025 kg a.i. ha^-1) applied during the vegetative stage to prevent buildup of infestations.

• Early sowing helps reduce losses as late-sown crops suffer most damage.

• Deep ploughing to reduce emergence from puparia.In some areas, parasites give adequate control of the leafminers.