Aonla or Indian gooseberry (Emblica Officinalis) is an indigenous fruit to the Indian subcontinent. Owing to hardy nature, suitable to various wastelands, high productivity/unit area (15-20 t/ha), nutritive and therapeutic value, aonla have become an important fruit.It may be attacked by various pests which needs to be prevented.
Major pests of Aonla are:-
1.Leaf roller: Caloptilia (=Gracillaria) acidula
Symptom of damage:
- Slender green larvae mine part or whole of the leaflets of compound leaves
- Leaflets turns pale brown or dark brown
- Upper epidermis separated from the lower
- Intervening space filled with black excreta
- Folded portion is skeletonized & dries up
- In severe attack, the leaflets are twisted up to form cocoons
- If the branch disturbed, all larvae leave their mines
Identification of the pest:
- Larva – cylindrical, yellow with thin, scattered hairs
- Adult – small, brownish moth
Management:
- Clean cultivation
- Collection and destruction of infested plant parts along with leaf roller
- Spray application of dimethaote 0.03% and quinalphos 0.025% were found effective against leaf roller.
2.Fruit Borer: Deudorix isocrates
Symptom of damage:
- Larva bores into the fruit in different phases
- Young larva-tender fruits
- Grown up larva- attack matured fruits
- Infested tender fruits turn brown initially, and become black later
- Matured fruits start decaying from one side, which gradually spreads all over, before they fall off
Management:
- Collection and destruction of damaged fruits
- Remove alternate hosts-pomegranate, guava, sapota, tamarind
- Release T. chilonis- 10 days interval -4 times
- Inundative release ofTrichogramma chilonis @ 15 cc/ha
- Ovipositional deterrent– Neem oil 3% or NSKE 5%
3.Fruit Piercing Moth: Othreis materna, O. fullonica and O. ancilla
Symptom of damage:
- Adult moth sucks the sap from fruits by making puncture
Identification of the pest:
- Adult: Otheris materna
Management:
- Removal of weed plants
- Tinospora cardifolia
- Cocculus pendules
- Destruction of fallen and decayed fruits.
- Smoking
- Collection of moths at evening by hand nets
- Collection of semiloopers from the weeds and creepers
- Use light trap
- Destruction in kerosenised water below such light
- Use of poison baits or carbaryl 2g/l.
4.Bark Borer: Indarbela tetraonis
Symptom of damage:
- Make tunnels in the main trunk and branches
- Larvae construct loose irregular webbing of silken threads
- Deterioration of vitality
- Reduction in yield
Management:
- Keep orchard clean
- Collect loose and damaged bark & destroy
- Kill larvae by inserting iron spike or wire into hole
5.Aphid: Setaphis bougainvilleae
Symptom of damage:
- Nymph and adults suck sap by remaining on the undersurface of leaves
- Yellowing of leaves
Management:
- Removal of weeds
- Field release of syrphids can control aphid population rapidly.
- Field release of green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea
- Spray neem oil at 3%
6.Whitefly: Trialeurodes rara
Symptom of damage:
- Nymphs and adults suck sap from undersurface of leaves
- Yellowing of leaves on dorsal side in patches
Management:
- Removal and destruction of alternate weed hosts
- Use yellow pan traps
- Spray neem seed kernel extract 5% (50 kg) and neem oil at 5 ml/l
- Spray fish oil rosin soap 25 kg at 1 kg in 40 lit of water
7.Mealy Bug: Ferrisia virgata
Symptom of damage:
- Covers tender growing points with white mass
- Suck the sap
- Vitality reduced
Management:
- Early detection of mealy bugs – presence of ants – indicator
- Cutting of infested twigs and leaves and burying them
- Field release of green lace wing Chrysoperla carnea
- Several species of ladybird beetles such as
- Chilocorus sp.
- Cryptolaemus montrouzieri are efficient predator
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
