This morning, we found really shocking views that I have never seen. Many okra plants were found freshly cut from the stem and from other parts as shown.The neighbouring Zucchini and cowpea plant also have shown the same case.What could have done this?? We did not found any insect pests over there. The soil was also completely wet as muddy..Really want to know the cause so that I could help protect it from further losses....
Dear Oadi Matny, there is no any presence of rodents over there, basically no any history of rabbit existence .Also, the soil is wet and muddy. I don't think rat could damage on such condition.
Dear Subodh Khanal sir, there are many such plants in the field having the same issue that they are as if cut at the stem or at the branches. There is no any other sign of pest and symptoms..
Possibly damage from some species of Cutworm (moth larvae), they could be sheltering at your time of inspection and so you don't see them. Attached references are not for your region but could be helpful--
https://extension.umd.edu/growit/insects/cutworm
http://www.stewartseeds.com/agronomy/Documents/Identification%20of%20Common%20Cutworm%20Species%20-%20Stewart%20-%20Spotlight.pdf
Adam Snyder sir, How could that be possible, we have found black cutworm in another okra project about 400 m farther that have cut many okra plants one even of the height of about 25 cm from 3 cm above ground level. This case is totally different. I agree cutworm might have done this with Zucchini I have shown here. but in okra, the plant is cut at a height of about 35 cm at the stem and the cut is also not clean. This case was not found earlier in this field at a seedling stage when there was a serious drought. Can this be a cause of cutworm, again??
Cutworms do generally feed around ground level and their damage is usually a little more clean cut than this. With this damage, I'm honestly not sure. There are many things that could do damage like this-other caterpillars, beetles, slugs, nematodes and viruses can occasionally rupture tissues, or rodents (like the other suggested).
Hi Krishna
I agree that this happend by mammals, and you can check around the plants about any rubbish or trace that maybe evidence for kind the mammal
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