Broccoli presents numerous pests and diseases that can ruin the work done. You have to be especially careful with some insects, specifically, like the whitefly. With the description of each plague and disease you can find the problem and act with each of the treatments we offer.
We are going to analyze the main pests and diseases of broccoli .
Index
BROCCOLI PESTS
CABBAGE BUTTERFLY OR CABBAGE CATERPILLAR ( PIERIS BRASSICAE)
The male is a white butterfly with a dark spot in the upper corner on the upper wings. It usually measures around 5-6 cm. This pest appears in spring where the female lays on the underside of the leaves as well as the stems. Caterpillars that perform a gregarious behavior emerge from the eggs. These caterpillars are the ones that cause the damage, by ingesting large amounts of plant material, leading to defoliate the plant.
In addition to the chemical treatment, there is a biological control based on the most wetting Bacillus thurungiensi or a parasitoid of Apanteles glomeratus caterpillars .
GREEN APHID ( MYZUS PERSICAE)
It is a pest of aphids of variable color, the yellow-green tone being normal. The adult usually measures around 2 mm. The maximum population size of this pest is reached in spring, decreases in summer and increases in autumn.
The green aphid causes curling of the leaves and shoots by sucking the cell juice and sucking the sap. In addition to suction, it is a pest that carries viruses and attracts fungi such as bold due to the production of molasses.
In addition to chemical treatment, a biological treatment based on the use of parasitoids ( Aphidius colemani , A. matricariae , A. erv i, Lysiphlebus testaceipes , Trioxis angelicae , Aphelinus sp.) Or predators ( Aphidoletes aphidimyza , coccinellids ( Coccinella septempunctata , Propylea 14-punctata , Adalia bipunctata , Scymnus spp.)
CRUCIFEROUS WHITEFLY : ( ALEYRODES PROTELELLA, A. BRASSICAE)
The adult has a dark head and thorax, white wings and 3 dark spots on the previous pair. The female performs the laying on the underside of the leaf. The symptom is observed in the leaves, with the appearance of circles where the female oviposits.
For biological control, it is treated with parasitoids ( Encarsia formosa , E. tricolor , Eretmocerus mundus) or predators ( Macrolophus caliginosus , Nesidiocoris tenuis , Dicyphus tamanii ) or the application of entomopathogenic fungi ( Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii.
BLACK APHID ( APHIS FABAE)
The adult usually measures between 2-3 mm. It has a dark green body, turning to black. It produces the weakening of the plant by sucking the sap, with the exception that the leaves do not roll. By secreting molasses, the fruit of the suction attracts the bold fungus. It is an important virus transmitter.
In addition, a biological control of this pest can be carried out using the following predators ( lacewing , Contwenzia, Aphydoletes aphidimyza), parasitoids ( Lysiphlebus testaceipes , Aphidius spp. , Aphelinus sp. , Praon) and fungi ( Verticillium lecanii ).
BROCCOLI DISEASES
ALTERNARIA: ( ALTERNARIA BRASSICAE)
The first symptoms are seen on new leaves. Black spots 1 cm thick are formed in concentric ring shapes.
DOWNY MILDEW ( PERONOSPORA BRASSICAE)
Small spots are formed on the upper part of the leaves, yellow in color. On the contrary, a whitish grayish fuzz is formed on the underside.