Pest Monitoring and Scouting in Pest Monitoring and Scouting in MangoMango

Enemies Friends

BackgroundBackground

A good sampling and monitoring program for insects is A good sampling and monitoring program for insects is essential for implementing an integrated pest management essential for implementing an integrated pest management program for mango pests. program for mango pests.

A sequential sampling plan for monitoring hopper A sequential sampling plan for monitoring hopper populations has been developed in India. populations has been developed in India.

Fruit fly numbers are easily monitored with pheromone Fruit fly numbers are easily monitored with pheromone traps, although trap catches have not been related to the traps, although trap catches have not been related to the risk to the crop in different areas. risk to the crop in different areas.

Sampling methods for assessing the status of pest Sampling methods for assessing the status of pest populations has been critical to develop and advance pest populations has been critical to develop and advance pest control technology. control technology.

Insect Pests Survey in MangoInsect Pests Survey in Mango

To monitor the initial development of pests in the endemic areas survey is prerequisite.

Therefore, for field scouting farmers should be mobilized to observe the pest’s occurrence at the intervals as stipulated

under different development stages.

Recognize and protect the natural enemies of pests commonly Recognize and protect the natural enemies of pests commonly found in mango orchards. found in mango orchards.

The plant protection measures are required to be taken only The plant protection measures are required to be taken only when bio control potential does not show promise and pest when bio control potential does not show promise and pest incidence shows increasing trend. incidence shows increasing trend.

Why Scout Mango Orchards?Why Scout Mango Orchards?

For timely detection of pestsFor timely detection of pestsTo reduce risk of pest outbreaksTo reduce risk of pest outbreaksIdentify hot-spotsIdentify hot-spotsOrganize timing of spraysOrganize timing of spraysAvailability of bio control potential

Coccinellids (Lady bird beetles) Hover flies or syrphids Chrysopids or Green lace wings Ants

How to Scout?How to Scout?

Regular weekly scoutingRegular weekly scouting

Note down the crop stage viz., vegetative or emergence of Note down the crop stage viz., vegetative or emergence of inflorescence or full bloom or fruit set or fruit stages (pin inflorescence or full bloom or fruit set or fruit stages (pin head sized or pea sized or marble sized or fully grown) or head sized or pea sized or marble sized or fully grown) or harvesting.harvesting.

Select five trees such that four are from four corners and one Select five trees such that four are from four corners and one from the centre of the orchard. from the centre of the orchard.

The tree selection for pest observations during each weekly The tree selection for pest observations during each weekly visit should be random visit should be random

In the selected trees, the observations are to be made from four In the selected trees, the observations are to be made from four directions viz., East, South, West and North. directions viz., East, South, West and North.

Keep clear records of whatever you find.Keep clear records of whatever you find.

Impact of Pest ScoutingImpact of Pest Scouting

1.      Awareness among the farming community for adopting 1.      Awareness among the farming community for adopting

IPM techniques.IPM techniques.

2.      Disorganized spray have been stopped.2.      Disorganized spray have been stopped.

3.      Application of pesticide as and when needed keeping in 3.      Application of pesticide as and when needed keeping in

view the economic injury level of the pests.view the economic injury level of the pests.

4.      Number of the sprays have been reduced from10-12 to 4-6 4.      Number of the sprays have been reduced from10-12 to 4-6

saving the extra amount spend on pesticides.saving the extra amount spend on pesticides.

5.      Conservation of natural enemies by using safe pesticide.5.      Conservation of natural enemies by using safe pesticide.

6.      Off season management of pests other than chemicals 6.      Off season management of pests other than chemicals

resulting reduced pressures of major pests on crops to a resulting reduced pressures of major pests on crops to a

considerable extent.considerable extent.

Setup yellow fast colored sticky traps for monitoring sucking pests one trap/5 trees. Locally available empty yellow Palmolive-tins coated with grease/ Vaseline/ castor oil on outer surface may also be used.

Pest Monitoring Through Yellow Sticky Traps

The inflorescence/leaf/twig gall midge larval population can be monitored by tapping the target plant parts on the white paper and counting their

population per tapping.

Pest Monitoring Through White Paper

These traps are very useful tool in monitoring and control of population of fruit fly.

Hanging of methyl eugenol wooden block traps soaked in ethanol, methyl eugenol and malathion (6:4:1) during

fruiting period from April to August @10 traps/ ha tie them tightly of 3-5 feet above ground level.

Pest Monitoring Through Sex Pheromone Traps

Pest Monitoring: Observation/samplingPest Monitoring: Observation/sampling

Mango HopperMango Hopper

Number of nymphs and adults in a single panicle/ inflorescence from each direction of Number of nymphs and adults in a single panicle/ inflorescence from each direction of selected tree should be visually counted during season.selected tree should be visually counted during season.

During off season, standard sweep nets ( 4 sweeps /tree @ one sweep per direction) During off season, standard sweep nets ( 4 sweeps /tree @ one sweep per direction) should be used to sample the hoppers resting on tree trunks after disturbance using net. should be used to sample the hoppers resting on tree trunks after disturbance using net. Make sweeps across the zone of flight of hoppers.Make sweeps across the zone of flight of hoppers.

Empty the net after each countingEmpty the net after each counting

Mango Mealy bugMango Mealy bug

Number of mealybug infested panicles or shoots from each direction of the selected tree Number of mealybug infested panicles or shoots from each direction of the selected tree should be visually counted during season and off season.should be visually counted during season and off season.

Pest Monitoring: Observation/ Pest Monitoring: Observation/ samplingsampling

Leaf WebberLeaf Webber

– Count the number of webs formed in the whole tree.Count the number of webs formed in the whole tree.

Scale InsectsScale Insects

– Number of scale infested shoots per five tender shoots Number of scale infested shoots per five tender shoots from each of the four directions of the selected tree should from each of the four directions of the selected tree should be countedbe counted

Shoot gall psyllaShoot gall psylla

– Number of infested terminal shoots of the selected tree Number of infested terminal shoots of the selected tree should be counted. If psylla infested shoots are found, should be counted. If psylla infested shoots are found, number of galls should also be counted and recorded.number of galls should also be counted and recorded.

Summary

Through sampling, accurate information is obtained to make accurate decisions which should be based on knowledge of the pest’s economic threshold level.

Many mango pests are quarantine concerns for many producing countries, for which monitoring methods should be geared to detect the presence or absence of the pest and where its mere presence will trigger a pesticide application.

Setup of yellow fast colored sticky traps for sucking pests, white paper method for gall midge, and methyl euginol based pheromone trap have been found successful for monitoring the populations of these pests in mango.

Anonymous (2011). IPM - Schedule for Mango. http://www.nhm.nic.in/Horticulture/IPM%20for%20Mango.pdf. 44

pp.

Anonymous (2011). Mango Resources Information System. Department of Biotechnology and Indian Council of

Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, India.

Butani, D.K. (1993). Insects and Fruits. Periodical Expert Book Agency, Vivek Vihar, New Delhi, 398 pp.

Ishaq, M., Usman, M., Asif, M. and Khan, I.A. (2004). Integrated pest management of mango against mealy bug and fruit Fly. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 6: 452-454.

http://www.ncipm.org.in/nicra/NICRAPDFs/Manuals/Manual%20for%20Mango%20Pres%20Surveillance.pdf

References