Vegetable Seedling Stage Pest Control Methods and Key Points
The main pests at the vegetable seedling stage include the black cutworm, mole cricket, click beetle larvae, and snails.
Black cutworm. Common names: "soil silkworm," "ground silkworm," "root-cutting worm." It mainly damages spring-sown (transplanted) vegetable seedlings such as solanaceous fruits, cucurbits, legumes, and cruciferous crops. The larva is grayish-black or dark brown, with a rough body surface, and measures 37-47 mm in body length. The larva bites through the stem of the vegetable seedling near the ground, killing the entire plant, causing missing plants and broken rows, and in severe cases even destroying the entire crop.
Mole cricket. Common names: "soil dog," "lala cricket." It has a diverse diet and can damage seedlings of many vegetables and crops. The adult measures 36-55 mm in body length, with a plump, large, yellow-brown body. The adult bites and feeds on seeds and seedlings in the soil, bites through the tender stems of seedlings, or chews the root and stem portions into a tangled mess, causing missing plants and broken rows. It tunnels through the soil surface into many raised tunnels, separating the roots from the soil and creating "hanging seedlings," causing seedlings to die in patches.
White grubs. White grubs are the larvae of scarab beetles, also called white ground silkworms. They damage many kinds of vegetables. The mature larva measures 35-45 mm in body length, with a body full of wrinkles, curling into a C shape when at rest. The larva bites through the roots and stems of seedlings, causing missing plants and broken rows. It can also bore into root tubers and stem tubers, weakening aboveground growth and reducing yield and quality.
Click beetle larvae. Click beetle larvae are the larvae of click beetles, commonly known as "yellow cricket" and "root-gnawing worm." They damage many kinds of vegetables. The larva is about 23 mm long, cylindrical, brownish-yellow and glossy. The larva bores into and feeds on seeds and young roots, causing vegetable seedlings to wither and die at the seedling stage. It can also bite holes and penetrate into stems, boring into and feeding on the stem core, causing the plant to die.
Snails. Common name: "water buffalo." They damage many vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, radish, legumes, and potato. The shell is medium-sized and spherical, with a shell height of 19 mm and width of 21 mm. Adult and young snails hide in moist, dark places and often crawl out after rain to damage vegetables, feeding on crop stems, leaves, and seedlings, and in severe cases causing missing plants and broken rows.