Sapota Stem borer: Plocaederus ferrugineus
Symptoms of damage:
- Presence of small holes at the collar region
- Gummosis
- Extrusion of frass through the bore holes at the collar region
- Yellowing and shedding of leaves
- Drying up of twigs and gradual death of the tree.
Identification of pest:
- Adult – medium sized reddish brown beetle.
- Head and thorax – dark brown or almost black.
Management:
- Collect and destroy the damaged plants
- Field sanitation
- Swab Coal tar + Kerosene @ 1:2 or Carbaryl 50 WP 20 g / l on the basal portion of the trunk ( 3 feet height)
- After scraping the loose bark to prevent oviposition by adult beetles.
- Padding with monocrotophos 36 WSC 10 ml in 2.5 cm /tree soaked in absorbent cotton.
- If infestations are severe then apply the copper oxychloride paste on the trunk of the tree.
- Hook out the grub from the bore hole and apply monocrotophos 10 to 20 ml/ hole (or)
- One celphos tablet (3 g aluminum phosphide) per hole
- Apply carbofuran 3G 5 g per hole and plug with mud.
