Cut Worms (Agrotis ipsilon and Agrotis segetum):

The caterpillars cause crop damage. They feed at night on young shoots or under ground tubers. In the early stages of if crop, the caterpillars cut the stem of the young plants near the ground and feed on the shoots and leaves. After tuber formation, they bore and nibble into the tubers affecting both tuber yield and market value.

Control: Hot weather ploughing in plains and autumn ploughing in hills reduce the population of immature stages. A number of birds, feed on insects that get exposed upon ploughing. Spraying insecticides like Chlorpyrifos 20EC (2.5 litres/ha) and drenching the ridges on noticing the cutworms controls the pest.