ABSTRACT
Castor in India – the world’s largest producer – is predominantly a rainfed smallholder crop, over 300,000 ha being grown in the dry parts of Andhra Pradesh alone. Red-headed hairy caterpillar (RHC) (Amsacta albistriga) is a severe pest of castor grown in Andhra Pradesh where yields, at 200 kg/ha, are less than half the national average. Economic losses are caused by direct damage to young seedlings, by the need to re-plant and by the delayed planting that occurs in an attempt to avoid the main period of damage. Extensive observations in Andhra Pradesh suggest on average a 50 per cent crop loss, valued at Rs2,400 per hectare, attributable to this pest (see Figure 4.2). Life cycle of the red-head hairy caterpillar https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315832241/c8f6cbc3-e0ff-4423-acb3-b7f0748b9e31/content/fig4_2_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
