Ragi, also known as finger millet, is susceptible to various pests that can affect its growth and yield. Some common pests of ragi include: Armyworms: These are the larvae of certain species of moths. They feed on ragi leaves and can cause significant damage to the crop if not controlled. Shoot fly: The shoot fly lays eggs in the leaf sheath or in the soil near the base of the plant. The larvae feed on the growing points of the plant, leading to dead hearts and reduced yield. Stem borers: These are the larvae of certain moths that bore into the stems of ragi plants, weakening them and making them susceptible to lodging. Stem borers can cause considerable damage to ragi crops. Aphids: These small, sap-sucking insects can infest ragi plants, causing stunted growth, yellowing of leaves, and reduced yield. They also excrete honeydew, which can promote the growth of sooty mold. Grasshoppers and locusts: These chewing insects can consume large quantities of ragi foliage, leading to defoliation and reduced photosynthesis. Severe infestations can significantly reduce yield. Termites: Termites can attack the roots and stems of ragi plants, leading to wilting, lodging, and reduced nutrient uptake. Rats and mice: Rodents can feed on ragi grains both in the field and during storage, causing losses to the crop. To manage pests in ragi cultivation, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies are often employed, which may include cultural practices such as crop rotation, use of resistant varieties, biological control using natural enemies of pests, and judicious use of chemical pesticides when necessary. Regular monitoring of fields for pest infestations and timely intervention are essential to minimize crop losses.

1. Pests of ragi
(Finger millet)
By
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD.
Assistant Professor (Entomology)
JSACAT
Affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

2. Borers pests of ragi (Finger millet)

3. Pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens, Noctuidae,
Lepidoptera
Nature/Symptoms of damage
Pink larva enters into the stem causing dead heart symptom
Distribution: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
1
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Bore hole Dead heart White ear

4. Bead like laid in rows within the leaf sheath Pinkish brown with dark head
Straw coloured moth with white hind wings
Light yellow brown to dark red brown
Pupate in either stem or soil
Management
Spray phosalone 35%EC at every 20 days interval
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Binomics

5. White borer, Saluria inficita, Pyralidae, Lepidoptera
Nature/Symptoms of damage
Larva bores into the stem at the
base of the tiller close to the soil
level and causes dead heart.
2
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
A potential pest on finger millet in South India.
India and Sri Lanka

6. Dark brownish, forewings
has white colour at the
margin
Are found in groups,
female lays eggs on
the leaf tip.
Milky white in colour
with yellowish head
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

7. Defoliators of ragi (Finger millet)

8. Beet armyworm/ Cutworm, Spodoptera exigua,
Noctuidae, Lepidoptera
3
China, Japan, South-east Asia, India, eastern Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific islands
Attack in maize along with others
crops like rice, sorghum, sugarcane,
oats, wheat etc. may cause the
damage of foliage parts.
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

9. Flea beetle, Chaetocnema pusaensis, Chrysomelidae,
Coleoptera
4
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Adult is a dark
beetle with enlarged
hind femur
Adult beetles cause small holes
in the leaves of young plants
Canada, United States, Mexico, and South America

10. Earhead feeders of ragi (Finger millet)

11. Angoumois grain moth
Earhead caterpillar, Sitotroga cerealella, Gelechiidae,
Lepidoptera
5
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range: Paddy, maize, jowar, barley and wheat
Larvae damage grains, adults being harmless.
Grains are hollowed out.
It attacks both in fields and stores.
In stored bulk grain, infestation remains confined to upper
30 cms depth only.
Caterpillar enters the grain through crack or abrasion on
grain.
It feeds inside and remains in a single grain only
Distribution: Throughout the warmer parts of the world

12. White eggs on the surface of damp
grains in stores or fields
White with yellow head
Pupates in cocoon inside the grain.
Dirty yellowish brown adult
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

13. Root feeders of ragi (Finger millet)

14. Root aphid, Tetraneura nigriabdominalis, Aphididae,
Hemiptera
6
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Nature of damage: Nymph and adult attack underground
parts of the plants. Plants become weak and may wilt.
Symptom of damage: Drying of plants in patches. Presence
of black ants, Camponotus compressus, around the base of
the plants.
Nymph and Adult: Pinkish
globular aphids
Distribution: China, Japan, Korea, Georgia, Kazakhstan, southern
and south-east Europe and the USA, India

15. Root grub, Holotrichia consanguinea, Melolonthidae,
Coleoptera
7
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Egg: White,
almost round
Grub: Young grubs are translucent,
whitish yellow in colour , fleshy ‘C’ –
shaped (Scaraebiform)
Symptoms of damage
The grubs feed roots and damage pods.
Grubs feed on fine rootlets, resulting in pale
wilted plants, dying in patches.
Dark brown beetle. Beetles emerge
out of the soil within 3-4 days after
the onset of rain
Pre-dominant in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh