This document discusses three major pests that damage mango crops: the mango hopper, mango mealybug, and mango fruitflies. The mango hopper nymphs and adults suck sap from plant tissues, causing browning, deformity, and drying. The mango mealybug nymphs and adults also suck sap from leaves, flowers, branches, and fruits, resulting in flower and fruit drop. Mango fruitflies lay eggs inside ripening fruits, and the hatched larvae feed on the pulp. Management strategies for these pests include the use of biocontrol agents like fungi, insecticide sprays, removal of weeds that harbor mealybugs, release of ladybird beetles,
1. Nahida Ahad (M.SC Final)
Department of Plant protection, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh-202002, India
Email: nahidaa619@gmail.com
Mango is one of the most delicious fruit grown in India. India alone account for 80% of the world mango production. A substantial quantity
is being exported to different parts of the world. Mango pulp is rich in vitamin A,vitamin C and carbohydrate. It also contains appreciable
quantity of magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus,i ron etc. According to Nayar et al. (1976) about 175 species of insects
have been reported to damage the mango fruit and the tree.
Few important ones are described as follows.
1. Mango Hopper
Introduction
Management
Nymphs and adult s of Ideoscopus species suck sap from twigs,
inflorescence,tender leaves and fruits.
Affected plant tissue turns brown,may deform and dry up.
Damage symptoms
Adult lay eggs on flower buds and inflorescence stalk.
Adult and nymphs suck sap ,causing drying of flowers and
subsequent dropping.
secrete honey dew and as a result sooty mould develops
causing less photosynthesis
Heavy puncturing and continuous draining of the sap causes
curling and drying of the infested tissue.
Bio-agents:
Metarhizum anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana on tree
trunk once during off season and twice at 7 days interval during
flowering season.
Insecticides:
Buprofezin,Deltamethrin,Imidacloprid,Dimethoate,oxydemeton
etc
2. Mango mealy bug
The female adult crawls down the tree in the month of April-
May and enter in the cracks in soil for laying eggs.
Pinkish nymphs and adult mealy bugs are present on leaves,
inflorescence,branches,fruits and fruit stalk.
Nymphs and adults suck sap causing dryness leading to flower
drop and negligible fruit set.
Management
Remove weeds like clerodendrum inflortunatum.
Release Australian ladybird beetle, cryptolaemus montrouzieri
@10/tree.
Spray Dimethoate 30EC or monocrotophos 36 SL 2.5-3L.
3. Mango fruitflies
The female punctures the outer wall of the mature fruits with
its pointed ovipositor and insert eggs inside the mesocarp of
mature fruits.
After hatching,the larva feeds on the pulp of fruit which
appears normal from outsid ,but drops down finally. The mature
maggots fall down into the soil for pupation
MANAGEMENT
Hot water treatment of fallen mature fruits at 48°c for 4-5min.
Male annihilation technique: set up fly trap using methyl eugnol
Conclusion:
Awareness creation among farmers about the various mango
pests and diseases is vital.
To build the capacity of farmers and extension staff on
scientific orchard management practices.