Important Mango Pests
- 1. IMPORTANT PESTS OF MANGO 1. Mango hopper or Leaf hopper : Idioscopus clypealis Idioscopus nitidulus Amritodus atkinsoni 2. Mango mealy bug : Drosicha mangiferae 3. Mango fruit fly: Bactrocera dorsalis 4. Mango shoot gall : Apsylla cistellata 5. Bark eating caterpillar : Indarbella tetraonis Indarbella quadrinotata 6. Stem borer : Batocera rufomaculata 7. Mango leaf webber : Orthaga euadrusalius 8. Mango stone weevil : Sternochatus mangiferae 9. Mango bud mite : Aceria mangiferae
- 2. Mango hopper/Leaf hopper Idioscopus clypealis , Idioscopus nitidulus & Amritodus atkinsoni Cicadellidae Hemiptera Most destructive ,regular pest of mango throughout the country . DISTRIBUTION :found through out the country Idioscopus clypealis : predominantly in South Gujrat, Karnataka & Maharastra . Amritodus atkinsoni : comparatively more common in North India. Idioscopus nitidulus : has been recorded from Peninsular India.
- 3. MARKS OF IDENTIFICATION AND LIFE CYCLE ADULTS : adults are small about 3 to 5 mm long ,dull brown in colour. • Triangular and wedge shaped , broader at anterior end and narrower towards posterior end. • Fore & hind wings are leathery & membranous,respectively. EGGS: Female lay about 200 eggs in her life span . • Eggs are laid singly in tissue of leaves, buds and flowers. Eggs are dull white in colour and hatch in 7 to 10 days. NYMPHS: Newly emerged nymphs are small about 1 to 2mm long, pale yellow in color. • N P : 21-28 days with 5 instars.
- 5. NATURE OF DAMAGE • Damaging stage : Both nymphs and adults • Large no. of nymphs and adults attack on the mango tree viz; tender shoots , leaves & inflorescence. • They puncture & suck the cell sap from tender parts of the plants Due to heavy puncturing and continuous draining of cell sap causing curling and drying of the infested tissue. • They prefer to feed on inflorescence . • Due to continuous sucking of cell sap from the inflorescence and flower , large no of inflorescence dry up and fall to the ground. • Even if the flower is fertilized , subsequent development and the fruit setting may be ceased. • Young fruits drop off. • They also damage the crop by secreting sweet and sticky substances known as honey dew which favours the growth of sooty moulds / black fungus on the upper surface of the leaf that adversely affect the photosynthetic activity of the plants. • Loss: 20 -100 % .
- 8. MANAGEMENT • Keep the orchards neat & clean. • Avoid water logging in the field / orchards. • Overlapping and overcrowding branches should be pruned just after harvest of the fruits. • Spraying of insecticides at three stages are more effective against this pest. • 1st spray : when the inflorescence is of 3- 4 inches in length or at PI stage.
- 9. The second spray is required when inflorescence are of full size but not in full bloom. The third spray should be given after complete set of fruits or when fruits are of pea size. Insecticides recommended for control of this pest are : SL.NO. Recommended insecticides Dose/ lit. water 1. Malathion (50EC) 2 ml 2. Dimethoate (30EC) 1 ml 3. Chlorpyriphos (20 EC) 2.5 ml 4. Profenophos (50EC) 1 ml 5. Metasystox (25EC) 1.2 ml 6. Carbaryl (50WP) 2 g 7. Imidachloprid (14.5 EC) 1 ml Attempt should be made to change the insecticides in each spray.
- 10. • Spray inect growth regulator viz; Buprofezin(Applaud 25 WP) @ 1-1.5 g/ lit. of water. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL : • Apply entomo pathogenic fungi viz; Verticillium lecanii & Beauveria bassiana . • PARASITES : Pipuncules annulifemer ----------- Parasitizing adults & nymphs Tetrastichus sp. Aprostocetus sp. Egg parasitoids