Curative Control

Pest controlling plants

Physical control

1. Cut and/or prune immediately the larvae-infested shoots. Do not drop the cut shoots in the field, burn or cut them into small pieces. The signs of damaged shoots are their wilted and dried tips. Doing so will prevent the larvae's development. Continue pruning the shoots at least once a week before the final harvest. If the whole village is more or less engaged in eggplant production, all the farmers must collectively practice this method in order to suppress the migration of moths to the neighboring fields.
2. Uproot all old plants after harvest and burn them. Piling or leaving them in the field enables the larvae to pupate and continue developing.
3. Use pheromone traps. This is an effective control measure and the sex pheromone, EFSB, is commercially available in some countries. Ask for assistance from your local agriculturist office or visit AVRDC; http://www.avrdc.org/pdf/efsbtrap.pdf for detailed instructions on how to make homemade pheromone traps.