Symptoms of damage

• Rosetted flowers
• Excreta observed at the point of bore holes by larval feeding. When bolls are opened, damaged seed kernel would be observed.
• They cut window holes (interlocular burrowing) in the two adjoining seeds thereby forming "double seeds"
• The attacked buds and immature bolls drop off
• Discolored lint and burrowed seeds

Identification of the pest

Larva

• Shows colour variation. Young larva are white and late instar becomes almost black, brown or green to pale or pink
• Several dark and light alternating bands running the entire length

Adult

• Small moth
• Forewings are brown or dull yellow olive grey with dark spots
• Hind wings margins are deeply fringed 

Management

• ETL: 10% infested fruiting parts
• Use pheromone trap to monitor the adult moth activity
• Three weekly releases of egg parasitoid Trichogrammatoideabactrae@1,00,000/ha per release
coinciding the incidence of the pest. Dust carbaryl 5% D 20 kg/ha
• Spraying any one of the following insecticides:
  • Phosalone 35% EC 2000 ml/ha
  • Triazophos 40 EC 2.5l/ha