Insect Management for Okra (2024)

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentum) is a warm-weather crop grown in the summer throughout Florida. Most commercial production is concentrated in south Florida, where it can be grown most of the year. It is often grown as a second crop after more valuable vegetables. Historically, relatively few insecticides and miticides have been registered for use on okra, making it challenging to manage insects and mites effectively. Recently, okra has been added to the Fruiting Vegetables Crop Group (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), and there are now many more options for pest control. Arthropod pests of okra include caterpillars (larvae of Lepidoptera), aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and mites.

Leaf-feeding caterpillar pests (lepidopteran larvae) that attack okra include beet, southern, and fall armyworm, cab bage looper, and corn earworm. Cabbage looper and corn earworm can also bore into pods. Scouting for these pests is essential because some of the pesticides available (Bacillus thuringiensis products, spinosad, and methoxyfenozide) are most effective for controlling young caterpillars and are less effective on later stages that can defoliate plants. Melon aphid, green peach aphid, and silverleaf whitefly can be very damaging. Imidacloprid will control these sucking insects, but a soil application's effects will wear off before the end of the growing season. Melon thrips and southern green stink bugs can also cause severe damage, and growers have very limited options for control at this time. Spinosad is effective for reducing thrips populations, but overuse could lead to the development of resistance and loss of control. There are now six products available for mite control. Products containing neem or azadirachtin can be used for all pests of okra but are generally only moderately effective.

Because of limited options for chemical control of insects, conservation of natural enemies is important and possible. As with all crops, destruction of the crop after harvest can help reduce pest populations. The practice of prolonging production by topping plants may contribute to pest problems, even though it reduces the cost of production.