Pest attacks fruit crops in State

Thrissur: Scientists with the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) have detected that the attack of Papaya mealy bug is severe in Kerala.



Infestation of Papaya mealy bug, a polyphagous sucking insect pest, has been reported in more than 60 host plants in the country.



Serious attack has been reported in crops such as papaya, mango, pomegranate, citrus, beans, tomato, potato, pepper and cotton. �Infestation of the pest has been widely reported in Thrissur and Malappuram districts. The attack of the pest is spreading across other districts too,� said A. M. Ranjith of the Entomology Department of KAU�s College of Horticulture.



Papaya mealy bug, Paracoccus marginatus (Insecta: Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), has caused extensive damage to crops in some districts. The pest is called mealy bug because of the powdery coating or the mealy coating over the bug�s body.



Papaya mealy bug is believed to be native to Mexico/or central America. �Many mealy bugs look alike though they belong to different species, � said Sosamma Jacob of KAU�s Entomology Department.



Papaya mealy bug was first reported in the country in Coimbatore in 2007-2008. �Perhaps, it was from here the pest spread to plantations in neighbouring Palakkad and Thrissur,� she said.



The pest causes damage by sucking sap from the veins of the leaves, fruits and flowers. The leaves become crinkled, yellowish and wither.



The bug lays up to 600 eggs within an ovisac and they develop into crawlers within 10 days. They move from the mother ovisac and spread to other areas.



The KAU recommends spraying affected plants with a mixture of soap (liquid or bar soap), kerosene and neem oil (5 gm soap with 3 ml of kerosene and 5 ml of neem oil).



�Verticillium lecani can also be sprayed. If control through chemical means is required, spray malathion at 2 ml per litre or imidacloprid (17.8 SL) at 2.5 ml per 10 litres,� said Mr. Ranjith.



Scientists insist on quarantine controls. �Fruits and vegetables brought into the State should be thoroughly checked. Also, natural biocontrol methods should be in place. The KAU is working hard to identify native �natural enemies� of the pest.�