3. Pests :
A pest is an animal or plant detrimental to human or human concerns including
crops , livestock and forestry.
There are several hundred species of fruit trees ,some are as follow…
Pests Of Fruits :
1. Dacus dorsalis (oriental/mango fruit fly)
2. Inderbela quadrinotata ( bark eating caterpillar)
3. Othreis fullonia (fruit piercing moth )
4. Virachola Isocrates (common guava blue )
5. Cosmopolites sordidus (banana weevil)
4. 1.Dacus dorsalis:
(Mango Fruit Fly)
Class: Insecta
Order : Diptera
Family : Trypetidae
Genus : Dacus
Species : dorsalis
It is the most serious of all fruit flies and is widely distributed in South-east Asia
,India, Australia and Other countries of oriental region.
It not only attacks mango fruit but also Guava , Apricot, Plum, Peach ,Fig, Apple
etc.
5. General Appearance:
The adult live for 3-4 months and feed upon the fruit juice , honey due and other
such juices available in the area .
These are slightly bigger than houseflies and reddish in color with yellow markings
.
These are active in summer months and hibernate in winter.
They mate in evening and lay 150-200 eggs.
6. Life History :
The fruit fly is active throughout the year on one or other crops during several cold
month.
The pest has several overlapping generation in a year.
Life cycle :
Eggs :
The shiny white, elongate and elliptical eggs are laid down by female fly in clusters
of 2-11, below the skin of ripening fruits.
A single fly lays about 50-200 eggs.
The incubation period is 2-3 days in Summer and 15 days in winter.
7.
8. Larvae:
The maggots feed inside
on pulp of the fruit for about
7-28 days.
The full maggot is 8-9 mm
in long and whitish in color.
By the time maggots
mature ,attacked fruits, in
which rotting has already
started, fall down and
maggots enter into the soil
for population.
9. Pupa:
The pupa are light brown in
color ,4-5 mm long and are
generally found at the depth
of 75-175mm below the
surface.
The pupa stage may last
about 7 days in summer to
over 42 days in winter
10. Damage And Control:
Damage:
The damage is caused by maggots which feed on the pulp of fruits resulting there
with rotting of fruits.
The fruit falls off prematurely in most cases and on their skin show dark circular
puncture from which a kind of juice oozes out.
The guava fruits especially are rendered spongy.
Control:
The soil below the plant should be deep and mixed with 10% DDT and BHC dust.
The adult can be checked by spraying the plant with 1% Malathion or Dimethoate
0.03 %.
12. 2.Inderbela quadrinotata:
(Bark eating Caterpillar)
Classification:
Class :Insecta
Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Metarbelidae
Genus : Inderbela
Specie :quadrinotata
It is a parasite of mango,Guava, Citrus, Pomegranate ,Lychee etc.
13. General Appearance:
The moth is stout , hairy, shiny , light brown in color with forewings marked with
thick brown vertical markings while its hind wings are smoky colored .
The moth emerges from second week of May to first week of June.
Life Cycle :
Eggs:
The female moth lay eggs in clusters of 16-25 eggs on the bark of branches
specially near forks or crevices from about the end of April to the June end.
A single female may lay about 350-600 eggs.
The incubation period is 8-11 days.
14.
15. Larva:
The newly hatched caterpillar feed on
the bark for some distance which they
cover up with the dark ribbon –like mass
of wood chips and excreta pellets.
The full grown caterpillar is dark brown
in color and measures 37.5-50mm in
length.
The caterpillar at a later and advance
stage bore into the wood and make a
short zigzag tunnel in it generally
downwards in which the caterpillar take
shelter during day and come out at night
to feed on the bark.
18. Damage :
The damage is caused by the caterpillar which on the bark and destroy the tissues
(vascular) which carry sap effecting thereby the growth and fruiting capacity of the
tree.
It also forms a tunnel by feeding the tissues deeper and effects the branch .
When infestation is severe the trees become very weak and sickly and may even
die .
Old trees are more heavily attacked than young ones.
20. Control :
Remove and burn all ribbon like_ mass of frass etc from trees to kill caterpillars
inside them.
Inject the borer holes with carbon disulphide or kerosene oil or a mixture of equal
parts of creosote and chloroform or petrol by syringe .
The cotton wool soaked in carbon disulphide may be pushed into holes as deep as
possible to kill the caterpillar inside and close the opening of the hole with clay
after treatment.
In case of severe infestation the trees should also be sprayed with 0.25% DDT EC
or 0.07% endosulfan 35 EC @ 15-25 litre water per tree after carrying.
21. 3.Othreis fullonia :
(fruit sucking moth)
Classification:
Class : Insecta
Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Noctuidae
Genus : Othreis
Specie :fullonia
It is a pest of citrus , grapefruit , orange , pomegranate , mango etc .
The adult stage is destructive.
22. General appearance:
The moth of othreis sp. are
nocturnal in habit and remain
active during rainy season ( July-
Sep ).
They are large with a wing
expanse of 60-90 mm with
abdomen and hind wings of an
orange-yellow color marked with
black.
Fore wings are lighter and less
bright.
The moths are attracted to odor
coming from ripe or rotten fruits.
23. Life cycle :
Entire life cycle is completed in 35-49 days .
There are two generations of the pest in a year .
Eggs :
The oval and shining pale-green colored eggs are laid by the female singly on the
lower surface of the leaves of wild creepers.
A single female moth can lay as many as 250 eggs in its life time.
The incubation period is 5-9 days.
24.
25. Larva :
The caterpillar undergoes
moults four times is about 21-
28 Days before it is fully
grown.
The fully grown velvety blue
caterpillar is stout humpbacked
and measures about 50-60
mm on length.
The dorsal and lateral sides
are covered with bright red and
yellow spots.
26. Pupa :
The pupa is stout and
reddish-brown in color.
Pupation takes place
in leaf fold under a very
thin whitish-pale
parchment made up of
silken threads .
Pupal period is of 7-
14 days.
27. Damage :
The damage is caused by the moth themselves by piercing the fruits with their
long proboscis which suck the juice.
As a result of puncturing at the site of injury ,rotting takes place in due coarse and
the fruits drop to the ground prematurely .
Generally ripening fruits are attacked but unripe fruits are not always immune from
such attacks.
28. Control :
Wild host plants in the vicinity of the orchards should be destroyed to keep the
pests population in check.
Hand net collection of moths in the initial stage of pest attack and bagging the
fruits with polythene or cloth or paper bags may also help in reducing pest
population.
Poison baiting of moths with lead arsenate+gur (jaggery) solution (1:160) by
putting in small pots hung on branches of host plants.
A few of vinegar may also be added to attract the moth.
29.
30. 4.Virachola Isocrates :
(Common guava blue )
Classification :
Class :Insecta
Order :Lepidoptera
Family :Lycaenidae
Genus :Virachola
Specie :isocrates
It is a pest of pomegranate , also found on guava , loquat , wood apple ,tamarind
etc.
31. General appearance :
The butterfly is bluish- brown in color with orange spot on each of the fore wings
and black spots on hind wings.
It measure about 2.5cm across the wings.
32. Life history :
The entire life cycle is completed in 30-60 days and there may b four overlapping
generations in a year.
Eggs :
The white shiny eggs are laid singly by the female on flowers and tender fruits.
The incubation period is 7-10 days.
33. Stages :
Larva :
The caterpillar is 16-20 mm long and dirty brown in color with short hairs on its
body.
Larval period varies from 18-47 days.
Pupa :
Pupation takes place either inside the damaged fruits or on fruit stalk.
Pupal period lasts from 7-34 days.
34. Damage And Control :
Damage :
The damage is caused by the caterpillar which bores into the fruit and feed on the
internal contents.
The anal segment of the caterpillar can be seen plugging the bore hole.
Control :
Where the pest is of regular occurrence ,the fruits should be screened with
polythene or cloth or paper bags to escape infestation.
In case of severe infestation, the plants should be sprayed with 0.1 % DDT EC or
0.03 % phosphamidon.
36. 5.Cosmopolites sordidus :
(Banana weevil)
Classification :
Class : Insecta
Order : Coleoptera
Family :curculionidae
Genus :Cosmopolites
Specie : sordidus
It is a native South East Asia and presently distributed throughout the banana growing
countries viz Australia , Hawaii islands ,India , South Africa and Tropical America.
It is monogamous so insects so feeds on banana plant only.
37. General Appearance :
The weevil is black or dark brown with club shaped antenna , with a long and
curved snout and well developed elytra (modified , hardened forewing ,protect
membranous hind wings ).
38. Life History :
The female weevil makes hole inside the bore and lays only one egg in each.
Eggs :
The process of egg laying is continued for few months and 10-50 eggs are laid by
single female.
Larva :
After about seven days of incubation period egg is hatched into a larva which
bores inside the corm and makes a tunnel after few days of hatching.
39.
40. Pupa :
The larva attains full grown stage in 14-42 days and pupates inside the tunnel
formed during larval stage.
After 7 days ,adult weevil emerges from the pupa and remain in the soil for some
time.
The weevil feeds on the underground part of the banana plant.
In later stage, they migrate towards the growing point for oviposition.
41.
42. Damage And Control :
Damage :
Only one genus of banana i.e. Musa is attacked by this pest.
The weevil destroys the corm tissue and attack the seedling which are killed or
destroyed , the corms , tunneled by the weevil , sometimes break , but since the
weevils do not attack the roots they (corm) do not topple over.
Control :
The infestation can be checked only by manual operation , by removing the
infested corm and destroying the damaged portion.
Full precaution should be taken during sowing new crop.
44. Idiocerus atkinsoni Lethierry :
(Mango Leaf-hopper)
Classification :
Class : Insecta
Order : Hemiptera
Family : Jassidae
Genus : Idiocerus
Species : Atkinsoni
Mango leaf hoppers are widely distributed in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Formosa.
It is very much destructive in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and
possibly other states.
They are monophaguos, so feed only on mango.
45. General Appearance :
They are small insects of greyish brown color measuring 5.1mm in length.
Dark grey wings are held roof like over the body.
The head is broad and prominent and the hind legs are thickly covered with bristles.
Two other species destroying the mango crop are Idiocerus clypealis.
Lethierry and Idiocerus in February from underneath the bark of trees.
Now they start sucking the cell-sap.
Further, they lay dull-white round egg singly in the tissues of mango leaves, buds and
flowers in the second week of February.
The eggs laying continues for few weeks.
Single female can deposit an average of 200 eggs.
46.
47. Life History :
Eggs :
The eggs are small, white and oval in shape.
Nymph :
After 4-6 days of incubation, eggs hatches into tiny yellowish green colored nymph
which sucks the cell-sap of tender shoots, flowers and buds and excretes honey dew
exposing the affected regions to fungal attack giving a dull blackish look to the mango
tree.
The nymph resemble the adult but are wingless and legs are comparatively longer so
they can jump from one place to other.
The mature nymph migrates to the stem and young leaves.
Now, by passing through three stages in 8-13 days, nymph attains full grown nymph
then moults, giving rise to winged adult hoppers.
48.
49. Cont…
The whole life cycle completed within 15-19 days.
There is no feeding and egg laying in May-June.
But they are crowded on the mango stem and lower surface of the leaves.
On a slight disturbance they fly in all the directions.
50. Damage :
The nymph and adults both are destructive stages which suck the cell-sap of
young shoots, flowers and buds or entire inflorescence which dry and fall off.
They secrete honey dew which cover the branches of the tree giving good surface
for fungal growth.
Thus, the growth of younger mango tree is hampered and older trees are unable to
have much fruits.
About 60% damage to mango crop is caused by mango crop is caused by mango
hoppers.
52. Prevention :
Over-crowding of trees should be avoided as far as possible because it helps in
spreading the pests.
The pest population can be reduced by spraying the trees with phosphomidon
0.02%, carbaryl 0.01% or endosulfan/dimethoate 0.03%.
The trees should be sprayed with fish oil, resin wash or resin soap, kerosene or
crude oil emulsion during winters before blossoms open.
Biological Control :
Natural enemies like Pipunculus sp. And caterpillars of Epipyrops sp. Which feed
on adult and Dryinus sp. Parasites of the nymph should be encouraged.
54. Papilio demoleus Linnaeus :
(Lemon butterfly or Citrus carrying)
Classification :
Class: Insecta
Order : Lepidoptera
Family : Papilionidae
Genus : Papilio
Species : Demoleus
The genus Papilio is distributed throughout the world.
The lemon butterfly causes damage to citrus plants in Africa, Taiwan, India and
Japan. citrus is the only host plant of this pest.
55. General Appearance :
It is beautiful butterfly of large size measuring about 2.8cm in length and 9.4cm on
wing expanse.
It has black colored head and thorax regions, whereas, creamy yellow colored
abdomen.
The wings are dull colored with yellow markings on them.
Black colored antenna are clubbed.
56.
57. Life History :
This pest is active throughout the year in plains but it hibernates in the pupal stage
during severe winter on the hills.
The female butterfly, after mating with male lays 75-200 eggs.
Eggs :
Smooth and round eggs are laid singly by the female butterfly on the under surface
of tender citrus leaves.
The incubation period is 4-6 days.
58. Larva :
The young caterpillar is brown with white markings.
The color changes to green with brown bands across the back when full grown.
The young caterpillar initially feeds on small leaves attacking larger ones as it
grows older.
It feeds for about 14 days in summer and 28 days in winter.
59. Pupa :
Pupation takes place on leaves or stem.
It hangs on the stem with a silken thread secreted by it.
Pupal period is about 7-12 days.
The life span of the male is shorter (4days) than the female (7days).
Four overlapping generations have been recorded in one year.
60.
61. Damage :
The caterpillar cause destruction of the citrus plants.
They feed on the fresh leaves and terminal shoots.
It has been observed that they start feeding from margin and reach the midrib.
The severe attack by full grown caterpillars cause complete defoliation of citrus
plants thus rendering them unfit for fruit bearing.
Control :
Hand picking and destruction of the caterpillars and pupae proves effective in
reducing pest infestation in small orchards.
In case of severe infestation plants, should be sprayed with 0.05% phosphamidon
100EC 10-15 litre water/plant.
