Eco-Friendly Insect Pest Management of Mustard Plant: A Review

Abstract— Mustard (Brassica juncea) is an essential oilseed crop among brassicas, primarily cultivated during the Rabi season in tropical regions worldwide. Like other crops of Brassicaceae family, mustard is attacked by various insect pests. Among these pests, mustard aphid, mustard sawfly, painted bug, diamondback moth, green peach aphid, cabbage butterfly, and leaf webber are major pests of mustard plant that affect the economic value of mustard and related crops by causing severe yield losses and decreasing market value. These pests majorly affect multiple parts of plant including leaves, flowers, flower buds, stems, pods, and twigs. Major physiological effects include curling of leaves, reduced photosynthetic efficacy due to secretions of sticky honeydew that facilitates sooty mold development, and failure of young pods to mature properly. Mustard is susceptible to attack by the mustard aphid Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.), a significant sucking pest affecting mustard and other Brassicaceae crops. Both nymphs and adults of this pest suck the cell-sap from plant parts, leading to stunted plant growth, wilting flowers, and impaired pod development. Additionally, their feeding activity introduces toxic substances into the plants, causing chlorosis at feeding sites, yellowing of veins, and leaf curling. Yield losses up to 73.3% and oil content reductions up to 66.9% have been reported. Numerous cost-effective control methods, including cultural, mechanical, biological, and botanical approaches have been identified to manage mustard pests effectively within an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) framework. IPM aids in minimizing ecological damage and reliance on chemical pesticides by utilizing natural enemies, entomopathogenic organisms, and botanical insecticides. This review synthesizes information on major insect pests of mustard and their eco-friendly management strategies.