ISHS Acta Horticulturae 735: I International Guava Symposium
RECENT TRENDS IN THE BIOLOGICAL SUPPRESSION OF GUAVA PESTS IN INDIA |
| Authors: | M. Mani, A. Krishnamoorthy |
| Keywords: | pests, biological control |
| Abstract:
About 80 species of insects and mites are known to attack guava Psidium gujava L. in India. It is difficult to control some of the pests like mealybugs, scale insects, spiralling whitefly, thrips, tea-mosquito bug etc. with the conventional pesticides. Application of insecticides also leads to the problem of residues on fresh fruits and processed products. Many fruit crops including guava provide a stable ecosystem offering good opportunities for biological control of insect and mite pests. The coccinellid and syrphid predators, chiefly Cheilomenes sexmaculata F., Scymnus latemaculatus Motsch and Ishiodon scutellaris F. were found quite effective in suppressing the guava aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover. The Australian ladybird beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant feeds voraciously on the green shield scale, Chloropulvinaria psidii (Mask.) and release of 10 C. montrouzieri adults per tree has been found effective against C. psidii. The natural enemies, viz. Anicetus ceylonensis Howard, Cephaleta brunniventris Motsch and Chilocorus nigrita F. were highly effective in suppressing the population of the wax scale, Drepanococcus chiton Green. The conventional insecticides failed to control the mealybugs causing serious economic losses on guava in peninsular India. Among the natural enemies, the parasitoid Aenasius advena Comp., Praleurocerus viridis Agarwal and Leptomastix dactylopii How. regulate the populations of the mealybugs Ferrisia virgata Ckll., Rastrococcus iceryoides Green and Planocoocus citri Risso, respectively. However, releases of the predator C. montrouzieri supplement the local natural enemies to give excellent control of all the mealybug species encountered in guava orchards. The exotic spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell causes damage by sucking the sap from leaves in peninsular India. Among 20 natural enemies, Axinoscymnus puttarudriahi Kapur & Munshi, C. montrouzieri, Cybocephalus sp. and Mallada astur Banks were commonly associated with A. dispersus but failed to control the pest. The efficacy of bioagents in the control of aphids, mealybugs, scale insects and spiralling whitefly has been validated and demonstrated in farmer’s guava orchards. There is a great reduction in pesticide load leading to less residue problems and environmental pollution by practicing biological control of the pests in guava eco-system. There is also a need to develop biocontrol technology for other pests like fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta Bezzi, bark eating caterpillar, Indarbela quadrinotata Walker, mites, Brevipalpus phoenicis Geijskes and Eutetranyichus orientalis Klein, tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis antonii Sign. and thrips, Rhipiprothrips cruentatis Hood causing damage to guava. | |
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