Pests on Fruits 1. Mango

Pests on fruits

1. MANGO

1.Mango hoppers:Idioscopusniveosparsus, I. clypealis

Amritodus atkinsoni :Cicadellidae :Homoptera.  

1. ¨   Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from tender shoots and inflorescence resulting in withering and shedding of flower buds and also wilting and drying of shoots and leaves.
2. ¨   The flower stalks and leaves in infested trees become sticky due to the deposition of honey-dew secreted by the hoppers that encourages the growth of black shooty mould on foliage and other parts.
3. ¨   During the off-seasons, the hoppers congregate on the leaves feeding on them.  As a consequence, leaves become malformed and undersized.
4. ¨   The hoppers take shelter in cracks and crevices on the barks during non-flowering season.

2. Flower gall midge: Procystiphora mangiferae, Erosomyia indica,  Dasineura amaramanjarae  : Cecidomyiidae: Homoptera.

• Larva: Magggot is light yellowish & moults three times.

Adult:

• Procystiphora mangiferae: Light orange fly
• Erosomyia indica: Yellowish fly. 
• Dasineura amaramanjarae: Orange red.
• Maggots attack the inflorescence stalk, flowers and small developing fruits. Maggot bore into the bud and feeds on inner content. Buds fail to open and drop down.

3. Flower webber:Eublemma versicolor: Noctuidae: Lepidoptera.

4. Mango fruit fly or Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis: Tephritidae:   Diptera.

• Larva - Yellowish apodous maggots.
• Adult - Light brown with transparent wing.
• Maggot bore into semi-ripen fruits with decayed spots and dropping of fruits. Oozing of fluid. Brownish rotten patches on fruits.

5. Nut or stone weevil :Sternochetus mangiferae :Curculionidae: Coleoptera.

• This is a monophagous pest.
• Grub is creamy, yellow apodous – five larval instars.
• Adult: Adults: Stout built, 6 mm long - dark brown in colour.
• The grub tunnels in a zig-zag manner through the pulp endocarp and the seed coat and they finally reach the cotyledons.

Adult weevil

Tunneling of Cotyledons

6.Mango stem borer Batocera rufomaculata: Cerambycidae: Coleoptera

• Host range:Mango, rubber, jack-fruit, fig, papaya, apple, eucalyptus and mulberry.
• Eggs: Eggs are laid singly on the bark or cracks and crevices on the tree trunk or branches.EP: 1-2 weeks. 
• Grub: Yellow in colour - Larval period: 6 months 
• Pupa:Pupates inside the tree. PP: 19-36 days. 
• Adults:Greyish beetle with two pink dots and lateral spine on the thorax. Live More than 6 months.
•  Gummy exudation and masses of frass exuding from bore holes on trunks are seen. Shedding of leaves and drying of branches are other associated symptoms.

Adult beetle

Bore hole on Stem

Topple down of the Tree

    7. Mango Shoot webber: Orthaga exvinacea : Noctuidae: Lepidoptera.

•      Larva: Pale greenish caterpillar with brown head and prothoracic shield.
•      Adult: Medium sized moth. greyish with brownish wings and wavy lines.
•      Larvae web up tender leaves into clusters and scrapes leaf surface from within at the time of new flush emergence.  Leaves wither and dry up.

Webbing of Leaves

   8. Red tree ant Oecophylla smaragdina:Formicidae: Hymenoptera.

•      Ant construct nest by stitching leaves. Cause annoyance during harvest.

   9. Leaf twisting weevil : Apoderus tranquebaricus :Curculionidae: Coleoptera.

•     Grubs develop inside twisted leaf, which rolled up and dried.
  

  

  Twisting of Leaf