Symptoms
Wilting and dying of bored shoots (dead hearts). Young larvae feed on shoots before moving to fruit. Larvae tunnel through fruits causing internal damage and rot. Pin-sized entry holes on fruit surface.
Prevention
Remove and destroy infested shoots and fruit promptly. Use pheromone traps to monitor adult populations. Practice crop rotation. Maintain field sanitation by removing fallen fruit.
Treatment
Organic
Apply spinosad or neem-based products at early shoot formation. Release Trichogramma egg parasitoids. Remove wilted shoots promptly before larvae move to fruit.
Chemical (last resort)
Apply chlorpyrifos or emamectin benzoate during shoot formation and flowering. Timing is critical before larvae bore into tissue. Observe PHI strictly.
Affects 1 crop
Sources
MARDI Vegetable Pest Guide; DOA Extension Bulletin