1. Several kinds of insects feed on roots and pods. The root feeders are always dangerous to a crop because plants suddenly die, especially during periods of drought. In the case of pod borers the damage is usually detected when the crop is harvested. It is not always easy to identify which insect caused the damage, especially when the pods have rotted. It is therefore difficult to make recommendations for the control of pod borers, in particular, because they are sporadic and extremely difficult to detect before the damage is done. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders

2. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders The adult beetles feed on the leaves of trees like Neem and Acacia during nights. They are small reddish brown beetles. The female adults enter into the soil to lay eggs often in clusters.

3. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders The young grubs are white and translucent (Fig.). Fully grown larvae are larger than a thumb. The larvae feed on soil organic matter for a few weeks and then eat roots. They also damage pods.

4. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Crop Damage The grubs cut and eat the plant roots, and consequently the plants will wilt and die. Severely infested fields have large patches of dead plants; the surviving plants are often stunted, and show signs of wilt.

5. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Crop Damage If the grubs are present at the time of podding, they also damage the pods.

6. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Management Plants with fibrous roots (sorghum, pearl millet etc.) are able to withstand white grub attack better than species with tap roots (groundnut etc.). Hence, crops such as pearl millet planted around the groundnut field act as 'nurseries' for infestation.

7. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Management In areas where white grub is persistent problem, deep ploughing after harvesting the crop can reduce the population as birds can pickup the grubs, and destruction of pupae.

8. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Management Control white grub adults by spraying their feeding trees like neem etc. with Carbaryl 50 WP at 2 g per liter of water. This spraying need to be repeated 3 to 4 times until mid-July, ideally using community approach.

9. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 1: White Grubs Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders Management Seed dressing with Chlorpyriphos at 2.5 mL a.i. per kg of seed can suppress white grub populations. Application of Carbofuran at 1 kg a.i./ha in the seed furrows can be effective prophylactic measure.

10. With this, the Lesson 1 on White Grub in groundnut concludes. Next, Lesson 2 is about Termites in groundnut crop. Select Lesson 2 in Module V contents Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module V: Root and Pod Feeders