Mealy bug: Planoccus citri
Symptoms of damage:
- Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the cells of tender branches and fruits
- Turn pale colour
- Affected plant parts – wilt and dry up
- Large amounts of honey dew excrete – sooty mould fungus
- Fungus covers the foliage and fruits
- In severe infestation the flowers do not form fruits
Identification of pest:
- Eggs: Are laid in clusters, protective cottony mass
- Nymphs: Are amber coloured with white waxy coating with filaments
- Adult: Male is winged, long antenna and without mouth parts. Female is wingless, flat body and short, waxy filaments along the margins
Management:
- Collect and destroy the damaged leaves, twigs and stems
- Use sticky trap (5cm length) on fruit bearing shoots
- Spray dichlorvas 0.2% in combination with fish oil rosin soap 25g/lit
- Soil treatment with chlorophyriphos apply on the near the tree trunk
- Spraying of trees with acephate, methomyl, or chlorpyriphos.
- Field release of Australian lady bird beetle, Cryptoleamus montrouizeri 10 per tree.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
