List of insect pests of millets facts for kids
Millets are a group of important cereal grains grown in many parts of the world, especially in Africa and Asia. They are like small, tough grasses that provide food for millions of people. But just like any other crop, millets can be attacked by tiny enemies called insect pests. These insects can damage the plants, making it harder for farmers to grow enough food. This article will tell you about some of the common insect pests that affect millets.
Contents
What Are Millets?
Millets are special types of grasses that produce small seeds we can eat. They are very strong plants and can grow in places where other crops might struggle, like dry areas. All millets belong to the grass family, called Poaceae. Most of them are in a group called Panicoideae, but some are in other groups too.
Here are some of the most important millet types:
- Finger millet
- Teff
- Proso millet (also called common millet or broomcorn millet)
- Little millet
- Pearl millet
- Foxtail millet
- White fonio
- Indian barnyard millet
- Kodo millet
- Browntop millet
- Sorghum
- Job's tears
Insect Pests: Tiny Troubles for Millets
Insect pests are insects that cause harm to crops. They can eat leaves, bore into stems, or suck the sap from plants, which can make the millet plants weak or even kill them. Farmers work hard to protect their millet crops from these pests.
Moths and Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Lepidoptera is the group of insects that includes butterflies and moths. Many moth caterpillars are pests because they chew on plants.
Crambidae: Borers and Leaf Folders
The Crambidae family includes many moths whose caterpillars cause damage.
- Leaf folders like Cnaphalocrocis medinalis roll up millet leaves and eat them from inside.
- Stem borers are very damaging. Their caterpillars tunnel into the stems of millet plants, weakening them and making them unable to grow properly. Examples include the Spotted stem borer (Chilo partellus) and the Millet stem borer (Coniesta ignefusalis).
Erebidae: Hairy Caterpillars
The Erebidae family includes many moths, some of which have caterpillars covered in hairs.
- Some species like Amsacta moorei are known to cause widespread damage by eating millet leaves.
- Hairy caterpillars from the Lymantriinae group, like the Yellow-tail moth (Euproctis similis), can also munch on millet leaves.
Noctuidae: Armyworms and Bollworms
The Noctuidae family is a large group of moths, and many of their caterpillars are serious pests.
- Armyworms (like Mythimna separata and Spodoptera exempta) are caterpillars that can appear in large numbers and eat entire fields of millet very quickly, like an army marching through.
- The Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is a well-known pest that can also attack millet heads.
- The Millet head miner moth (Heliocheilus albipunctella) specifically targets the developing millet heads, where the seeds are formed.
Flies and Midges (Diptera)
Diptera are insects with only one pair of wings, like flies and midges. Some fly larvae (maggots) can be very harmful to millet plants.
Cecidomyiidae: Millet Midges
- Millet midges (Geromyia penniseti) are tiny flies whose larvae feed on the developing seeds inside the millet heads. This can stop the seeds from forming properly, leading to less grain for harvest.
Muscidae: Shoot Flies
- Shoot flies (from the Atherigona group) are a major problem for young millet plants. The larvae bore into the central shoot of the plant, causing it to wither and die.
- Different types of shoot flies attack different millets, such as the Pearl millet shoot fly (Atherigona approximata) and the Sorghum shoot fly (Atherigona soccata).
True Bugs (Hemiptera)
Hemiptera are insects often called "true bugs." They have special mouthparts like a straw, which they use to suck sap from plants.
Cicadellidae: Leafhoppers
- Leafhoppers (like the Maize leafhopper Cicadulina mbila) suck sap from millet leaves. They can also spread plant diseases from one plant to another.
Delphacidae: Planthoppers
- Planthoppers (like the Brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens) also suck sap, usually from the stems and bases of the plants. Large numbers can make plants weak and yellow.
Aphididae: Aphids
- Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on young shoots and leaves. They suck sap, which can stunt plant growth and cause leaves to curl.
- The Corn aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis) and Sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) are common aphid pests of millets. They also produce a sticky substance called "honeydew" which can lead to mold growth on the plants.
Miridae: Head Bugs
- The Sorghum head bug (Calocoris angustatus) specifically feeds on the developing grains in the millet heads, causing them to shrivel and become useless.
Thrips (Thysanoptera)
Thrips are tiny, slender insects that scrape the surface of leaves and suck out the plant juices.
- Species like Haplothrips aculeatus and Thrips hawaiiensis can cause damage to millet leaves and developing flowers, leading to reduced yields.
Beetles (Coleoptera)
Coleoptera is the order of beetles, which have hard wing covers. Many beetles and their larvae are plant pests.
Chrysomelidae: Flea and Leaf Beetles
- Flea beetles (like Chaetocnema basalis) are small beetles that jump like fleas. They chew small holes in millet leaves, especially on young plants.
- Leaf beetles like the Cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus) also feed on millet leaves.
Scarabaeidae: White Grubs and Chafer Beetles
- White grubs (larvae of Phyllophaga and Holotrichia beetles) live in the soil and feed on the roots of millet plants. This can cause plants to wilt and die.
- Chafer beetles (like Chiloloba acuta) can feed on millet leaves or flowers.
Curculionidae: Weevils
- Weevils are beetles with long snouts. The Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) can damage millet stems.
Grasshoppers and Crickets (Orthoptera)
Orthoptera includes grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. These insects are known for chewing on plants.
Acrididae: Grasshoppers and Locusts
- Many types of grasshoppers and locusts (like Locusta migratoria and the Desert locust Schistocerca gregaria) can eat large amounts of millet leaves and even entire plants, especially when they gather in swarms.
Termites (Isoptera)
Termites are social insects that live in colonies. Some species can be very damaging to crops.
- Termites like Odontotermes obesus live in the soil and can chew on the roots and stems of millet plants, especially in dry areas, causing the plants to fall over or die.
Ants and Wasps (Hymenoptera)
Hymenoptera includes ants, bees, and wasps. While many are helpful, some can be pests.
Eurytomidae: Stem Boring Wasps
- The Stem boring wasp (Eurytomocharis eragrostidis) lays its eggs in millet stems, and the larvae bore inside, causing damage similar to moth stem borers.
See also
- List of pearl millet diseases
- List of sorghum diseases