Pests of leafy vegetables in Sri Lanka, their damaged symptoms, host range and biology

Detail investigations on pests of leafy vegetables of Sri Lanka were carried out using three representative districts to generate background information required for development of sustainable management technologies. The methods included field sampling, laboratory culturing, and biological studies. Host range and biology of already recorded major pests, flea sap sucking bug, Halticus minitus (Heteroptera: Miridae) and flea beetle Chaetocnema spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) under local conditions were described in detail. A new flea weevil pest damaging to Alternanthera sessilislinn linn. was identified as Tachyerges spp. (Coleoptera: Curculinoidae) and its morphology, biology and damage were described. In addition, a new flea beetle, Chaetocnema confinis was identified as a major pest of Ipomoea aqutica. Two leaf folder pests, Psara basalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and beet webworm, Spoladeare recurvalis (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae) in A. sessilis and Amaranthus spp. respectively and a Bracon larval parasitoid of S. recurvalis were identified. Thrips, nematode, mites and plant bug were the other general pests damage to leafy vegetables including Centella asiatica.