Sucking pest of mango

mango is the king of fruits and has a premier status among the commercial fruits grown in India. Indo-Burma region is believed to be the center of origin for mango. it grows wide in the forests of North East India. Now it is grown throughout the tropics. The main production centers are India, Florida, Egypt, natal, E.Africa coast and West Indies. It requires dry weather for flowering and often it is biennial fruit bearer. It is an evergreen tree growing to a height of 10-40 m high and can survive for 100 years or more.

1. SUCKING PEST OF MANGO

2. Mango Hopper Idioscopus clypealis , I. nitidulus and Amritodus atkinsoni Order: Hemiptera Family: Cicadellidae The hoppers are prevalent in the mango flowering season, multiply in large numbers and proves devastating to the crop. Damage to the mango crop may be as high as 60 per cent. The growth of young trees is much retarded and older trees do not bear much fruits

3. Idioscopus clypealis darker in colour and bigger in size measuring 4.2 to 4.8 mm long male and 4.7- 5.1 mm long female smaller and narrower , measuring 3.4 - 3.7mm long male and 3.6 - 3.9 mm long female . Amritodus atkinsoni

4. Identification Nymph – The nymphs of Idioscopus clypealis are dull yellow or dust yellow, whereas those of Amritodus atkinsoni are pale yellow, elongated and more active .

5. Adult: S mall insects 4-5mm long with the body shape of a miniature cicada / wedge shaped. Amritodus atkinsoni Adults: large, light brown with two spots on scutellum. Idioscopus nitidulus ; Adults: dark with wavy lines on wings and three spots on scutellum. I. clypealis ; Adults: small, light brown with dark spots on the vertex and two spots on scutellum.

6. Do not go for high density planting as it provides favorable condition for hopper multiplication. Do not encourage plants to put intermittent flushes by regular irrigation and split doses of nitrogenous fertilizers. Avoid water logged and damp condition. Spray 2.5 kg of carbaryl   5WP or 2 liters of malathion 50EC or 1.5 liters of endosulfan 35EC in 1250 liters of water per ha. Once in February and again in March. Spraying with Malathion LVC @ 1.4 liters per ha. With aerial or ground equipment is also effective. MANAGEMENT

7. Mango Mealy Bug Dorsicha mangiferae Family: Margarodidae Order: Homoptera Dorsicha mangiferae is the most common mealy bug and causes severe damage to mango crop throughout the country. Nymphs and adults suck the plant sap and reduce the vigour of the plant. Excessive and continuous draining of plant sap causes wilting and finally drying of infested tissue.

8. Nature of Damage Presence of pinkish nymphs and adult mealy bugs on trunk, branches, fruits and fruit stalk. After climbing up the tree they start sucking the sap of tender plant parts. Adults and nymphs both suck the plant sap and reduce the plant growth, destroy inflorescence and causes fruit drop. Excessive and continuous draining of plant sap causes wilting and finally drying of infested tissue. Mealy bug excretes honey dew, a sticky substance, which facilitates the development of sooty mould fungi.

9.   Remove weeds from orchids which act as additional hosts for mealy-bug. Ploughing of orchids during summer exposes eggs to the natural enemies and the extreme sun heat. Nymphs should be prevented from crawling up the trees by applying 15-20 cm white sticky bands with polythene or plastic sheets around the trunk about one meter above the ground level during 2 nd  week of December . MANAGEMENT

10. Scale Insects Of Mango Chionaspis vitis Chloropulvinaria psidii Order : Hemiptera Family: Diaspididae Two species of scale insect are most serious in India. a. Chionaspis vitis -   White elongate hard scale. b . Chloropulvinaria psidii -   Females with white ovisac.

11. Symptoms Both adults and nymphs suck the sap of leaves. Severe infestation completely coats the underside of leaves which become yellow and die. It also caused cracking of bark and decline Flower spikes and fruits may also be infested.

12. Nature of damage The nymphs and adult scales suck the sap of the leaves and other tender parts and reduce the vigour of the plants.  Secrete honeydew which encourages the development of sooty mould on leaves and other tender parts of the mango plant.  In case of severe scale infestation, growth and fruit bearing capacity of the tree is affected adversely.

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