Paprika

Pests of Field Crops in Southern Africa

PAPRIKA

(Capsicum spp., Solanaceae)

Text Box: See general section. As with most fruit-producing crops, paprika is susceptible to attack by bollworm, as described in the general section. The pest bores into the pods (usually around the calyx), which soon become spoiled with a soggy mass of frass. Once inside, chemical control is not possible, so the best option would be to base chemical control measures on the result of monitoring. This could be by scouting of the crop for eggs, or by the use of pheromone traps to indicate the presence of moths in flight. Synthetic pyrethroids, which are often used against this pest, should be used with caution in paprika, since the crop is used for a food colouring agent, and the extraction procedure may have the effect of actually concentrating the pesticide residue. TOP

Text Box: See general section. Although it may not be very common on paprika, there have been a number of reported cases of infestation by false codling moth over the last few years. The larva is much smaller than the bollworm, which also bores into the pod, and can be recognised by its pinkish colour and brown head. The use of pheromone traps to monitor the presence of the pest would give the best chance of applying chemical control measures timeously, since there is a very short window before which it becomes protected within the pods. TOP

African Bollworm

False Codling Moth

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False Codling Moth

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African Bollworm

Text Box: See general section for details. Paprika is a very favourable host to Frankliniella spp., which have been described in the general section. This crop tends to be planted early with irrigation, before the rains set in, and in dry seasons, may rapidly become infested with thrips. It is probable that the thrips themselves would not be a very serious problem, unless the infestation was heavy enough to cause abortion of young fruits. Since the crop is harvested and dried, rather than “consumed” in the fresh state, normal symptoms of attack would not be particularly troublesome. Of more importance, however, is the fact that paprika is very susceptible to the thrips-transmitted Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, and this means that even low infestations could have serious effects on the crop. TOP

Bollworm entering paprika fruit.