Chilli Broad Mite
Polyphagotarsonemus latus
📖 Description
Broad Mite (also called Yellow Tea Mite) is one of the most destructive pests of chilli and capsicum across the Indian subcontinent, particularly severe in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Odisha where chilli is grown on over 800,000 hectares. The pest is so small (0.1-0.2 mm) that it is invisible to the naked eye — by the time damage is visible (leaf distortion, bunchy top, flower drop), populations are already very high. The mite attacks only tender growth, causing characteristic deformation, hardening and bronzing of leaves. Beyond direct damage, the pest is associated with transmission of chilli leaf curl virus in some regions, compounding yield loss. Outbreaks are favoured by warm humid weather and excess nitrogen. The pest is particularly difficult to control because (a) it hides in tender growth and flower buds where contact miticides don’t reach, (b) it has a very short life cycle (4-5 days) allowing rapid population buildup, and (c) it has developed resistance to many acaricides. IPM with early detection (20x hand lens inspection), systemic acaricide rotation, conservation of native predatory mites (Amblyseius) and removal of infested shoots provides effective control. Quarantine of nursery stock is critical — most new infestations originate from infested transplants.
⚠️ Symptoms to watch for
- Distortion and curling of tender leaves, hardened and brittle leaves with coppery-bronze discoloration, shortened internodes giving 'bunchy top' appearance, flower drop, deformed and small fruits, stunted plant growth, transmission of chilli leaf curl virus (in some reports), yield loss 50-90% in severe outbreaks
🩹 Treatment
- Spray neem oil 1% with sticker on tender growth, release predatory mites (Amblyseius) @ 5000/ha, apply need-based acaricide when 5 mites per leaf, prune infested shoots
🌿 Organic treatments
- Spray neem oil 1% + 5 g/L soap on tender growth, apply wettable sulphur 80 WP @ 3 g/L, release Amblyseius spp. @ 5000/ha, spray Verticillium lecanii @ 5 g/L, apply NSKE 5%, prune and destroy infested shoots, conserve native predatory mites
🧪 Chemical treatments
- Spiromesifen 240 SC @ 0.5 ml/L, Abamectin 1.9 EC @ 0.5 ml/L, Diafenthiuron 50 WP @ 1 g/L, Propargite 57 EC @ 2 ml/L, Ethion 50 EC @ 1.5 ml/L, Fenpropathrin 10 EC @ 0.5 ml/L — rotate to avoid resistance
🛡️ Prevention
- Plant clean nursery stock, inspect transplants carefully (mites too small to see), rotate crops to break cycle, remove weed hosts around fields, balanced nutrition (avoid excess nitrogen), monitor with 20x hand lens, plant resistant varieties (Pusa Sadabahar, Arka Lohit)
🪴 Affected plants
- Chilli, Capsicum, Brinjal, Tomato, Potato, Cotton, Citrus, Papaya, Tea, Jasmine, Begonia, Numerous Ornamentals
🦋 Natural predators
- Amblyseius spp. (predatory mites), Stethorus pauperculus (ladybird beetle), Scolothrips sexmaculatus, Predatory Thrips
🌱 Host plants
- Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Solanum melongena, Solanum lycopersicum, Gossypium hirsutum, Citrus spp., Carica papaya
🔄 Lifecycle
- Female lays 30-50 eggs on tender growth.
- Eggs hatch in 2-3 days.
- Larvae feed for 1-2 days, then quiescent 'pseudopupa' stage for 1-2 days.
- Adult lifespan 7-14 days.
- Total life cycle 4-7 days at optimal temperature (25-30°C); 15-20 overlapping generations per year.
📅 Season
- Year-round in tropical chilli, peaks Mar-Jun and Sep-Nov during warm humid months
🔎 Appearance
- Adult female is a tiny, translucent whitish-yellow mite with an oval body; male is smaller with highly modified hind legs used to carry female nymphs.
- Eggs are elliptical, covered with white tubercles, laid on tender growth.
- Larvae have 6 legs; adults have 8 legs.
- Almost invisible to naked eye.
💥 Damage level
- Severe
🔁 Reproduction rate
- Very Rapid
🗺️ Geographic regions
- Indian Subcontinent
- Cosmopolitan in Tropics and Subtropics Worldwide
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