Mealybug menace in mango

MANGO MEALYBUG (drosicha mangiferae), is a serious pest on mango. The nymphs damage sap from tender shoots and inflorescence. In case of severe infestation, the inflorescences dry up and the young fruits fall easily.

In May, females lay 250-300 eggs inside the soil. at a depth of 5-15 cm. enclosed in silken purses. Till the middle of December, the eggs remain in the soil. Eggs are minute, pink and turn yellow.

Newly hatched nymphs are brown and turn white later. They crawl out from the soil and climb the trees.

While crawling they cluster together around lichen patches on the trunks and branches.

Nymphs moult three times. The entire nymphal duration lasts for four to five months.

They turn adults towards the end of April upto the beginning of May. Adult males die after mating and the females descend from the trees to the soil for egg laying.

Female insect is oval, soft bodied and covered with a white mealy powder.

The pest can be managed by:

— Raking the soil under the tree to a depth of 15 cm after the month of May to expose the eggs.

— Destruction of weed host clerodendron inflortunatum and grasses, by ploughing during June-July.

— Nymphs can be prevented from climbing the tree by applying a sticky band made of a 20 cm wide polythene sheet (400 gauge) above the ground level on the trunk, during December.

It is secured to the stem with a jute thread and grease is applied on the lower edge of the band.

The nymphs congregate in the lower end of the band and they can be killed by insecticidal spray.

— Spray application of chlorpyriphos 0.05 per cent or monocrotophos 0.05 per cent with due precaution, on the colonies settled on the shoots.

R. Velusamy, R. Mohan & G. Gajendran

ADAC & RI Tiruchirapalli 620 009

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