Top 10 Most Damaging Crop Pests in India and their control

India’s agriculture faces one of its biggest challenges from crop-damaging pests, which cause losses worth thousands of crores annually. From sucking pests to borers, these enemies of farmers reduce yield, damage quality, and sometimes destroy entire crops. Here’s a list of the top 10 most destructive crop pests in India and how farmers can effectively control both traditional and modern crop protection strategies.

1. Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)

1. Main Target: Maize, sorghum, rice, sugarcane
2. Damage: Feeds on leaves, stems, and ears
3. Control Measures:

Use of Neem oil or biological pesticides like Bacillus thuringiensis, Pheromone traps for monitoring, Intercropping with crops like cowpea

2. Brown Plant Hopper (Nilaparvata lugens)

• Main Target: Paddy (rice)
• Damage: Sucks plant sap, causes “hopper burn”
• Control Measures:

Use resistant paddy varieties

Keep field drained and weed-free

Spray with Imidacloprid or Fipronil, under expert guidance

3. White Grubs (Beetle larvae)

• Main Target: Sugarcane, groundnut, potato
• Damage: Feed on roots, reducing plant strength
• Control Measures:

Deep ploughing to expose larvae

Application of entomopathogenic fungi like Metarhizium anisopliae Neem cake application in soil

4. Helicoverpa (Pod borer)

• Main Target: Cotton, chickpea, pigeon pea
• Damage: Bore into flowers and pods
• Control Measures:

Use of Helicoverpa NPV (Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus)

Light traps & pheromone traps

Manual removal of infested pods

5. Aphids

• Main Target: Mustard, beans, vegetables
• Damage: Sap sucking + virus transmission
• Control Measures:

Spray neem-based biopesticides

Encourage ladybird beetles (natural predators)

Avoid overuse of nitrogen fertilizers

6.Pink Bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella)

• Main Target: Cotton
• Damage: Feeds inside bolls, lowers yield & fiber quality
• Control Measures:

Destroy crop residue post-harvest

Use Bt cotton varieties with resistance

Pheromone trap-based mating disruption.

7. Termites

• Main Target: Wheat, sugarcane, groundnut
• Damage: Attack roots and stem base
• Control Measures:

Seed treatment with Chlorpyrifos

Field sanitation and avoid waterlogging

8.Shoot and Fruit Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis)

• Main Target: Brinjal (Eggplant)
• Damage: Bores into shoots & fruits
• Control Measures:

Remove and destroy infested shoots

Use sex pheromone traps

Spray biopesticides like Spinosad

9.  Locusts (Desert Locust)

• Main Target: All crops in swarms
• Damage: Complete defoliation
• Control Measures:

Early detection with satellite surveillance.

Use Malathion or other government-recommended sprays during invasion.

Community-based coordinated control.

10. Red Spider Mites

• Main Target: Tea, cotton, vegetables
• Damage: Leaf discoloration, webbing
• Control Measures:

Spray with wettable sulfur or miticides

Maintain humidity through regular watering in hot regions

General Pest Control Tips for Farmers

• Rotate crops regularly to break pest cycles.
• Clean field borders to reduce breeding grounds.
• Use biological control agents (e.g., Trichogramma, parasitoid wasps)
• Stay updated via government Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
• Download mobile apps like Kisan Suvidha, AgriApp, or Plantix for crop protection advice.

Conclusion

Pests are a serious threat, but with timely action and sustainable crop protection methods, farmers can minimize damage and maximize profits. Awareness, community cooperation, and the adoption of eco-friendly technologies are the key to a pest-resilient future.