A mango infected by mealybug at an orchard in Pollachi in Coimbatore district.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Having detected high infestation of mealybug, a sap-sucking insect pest, in mango orchards in and around Pollachi, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has advocated integrated management practices to evade losses in yield.The intervention has been recommended to farmers at different stages.The pest, posing a serious threat to mango cultivation by affecting tree growth, flowering, and fruit setting, suck sap from leaves, tender shoots, flower stalks, and developing fruits, thereby affecting the normal growth of the crop, according to TNAU scientists.Due to infestation, symptoms such as yellowing and drying of leaves, dropping of flowers and fruits are commonly observed, resulting in reduced yield. In addition, the honeydew secreted by the mealybugs promotes the growth of sooty mould fungus, which reduces photosynthetic activity of the leaves. Consequently, fruit quality and market value are adversely affected.Eggs laid in the soil during winter hatch during February and March, after which the young nymphs climb up the trees and spread. The nymphs move upward along the trunk and infest tender plant parts.During the flowering season, a 400-gauge polythene sheet may be wrapped around the tree trunk at a height of 1 to 1.5 metres without gaps, and sticky grease or adhesive oil should be applied at 15-day intervals on the upper surface to prevent nymphs from climbing the tree.Deep ploughing around the tree basin during May and June expose and destroy eggs present in the soil. Removal of weeds such as Clerodendrum, Parthenium and other grasses during June-July is also recommended, the scientists have stated.The natural predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri may be released at the rate of 10 beetles per tree for biological control, as per the intervention methodology being disseminated among farmers.At the early stage of infestation, spraying Dimethoate 30 EC at 2 ml per litre or Spirotetramat 11.1% + Imidacloprid 11.01% SC at 0.75 ml per litre is recommended, directing the spray towards the trunk and lower branches using a high-volume sprayer. Since mealybugs have a waxy coating, the use of a sticker or wetting agent in the spray solution is essential for effective control, the farmers have been advised. Published - March 02, 2026 08:24 pm IST
