2. Background
Quite often the cultural, physical, mechanical and other agro-
technology practices are not sufficient to keep the insect pests
below the level of economic losses.
Therefore, the chemical pesticides are resorted to both as
preventive and curative measures to minimize the insect pest
damage.
But chemical spray is to be minimized and should be need
based.
A rational rotation of insecticide is desirable to counteract the
tendency of pest to develop field resistance.
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3. More than 492 insect species are known to infest mango
and out of these approximately 45 per cent reported from
India .
Among these 45 per cent, about a dozen are found more
severe causing considerable loss to the crop and so may be
known as major pests of mango.
These are Mango hoppers, mealy bugs, stem borer, fruit fly,
stone weevil, scale insect, leaf Webber, leaf miner, and leaf
eating caterpillars are some of the important yield reducing
insect pests of mango.
Several insecticides either alone or in combination with
other pest management techniques have been found
effective for the control of these insect pests.
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4. Mango Hopper
Need based application of methyl
parathion (0.025%), monocrotophos
(0.025%), fenitrothion (0.25%) or
carbaryl (0.1%) with higher volume
sprayer @ 10 l/tree significantly
reduced the hopper population
First spray at early stage of panicle
formation if hopper population is more
than 5-10 panicle
Second spray at full length stage of
panicle, and the third spray after fruit
setting successfully controls mango
hoppers.
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5. Mealy Bug
Raking of the soil around the base of
the tree which has been infested, so
that the egg-masses exposed and
application of chlorpyriphos 0.05%
in the same area when hatching
begins or is expected, so that the
just-hatched nymphs may be
poisoned. ‘
If nymphs ascend ascended on tree
spray Monocrotophos or Dimethoate
(0.04%)
Spray of either of these insecticides at bud burst stage reduces
gall midge damage.
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6. Fruit flies
To control adult fruit flies during
severe infestation placing poison bait
viz., protein hydrolysate + malathion
50 ml + 200 ml molasses in 2 litres of
water be sprayed adding an additional
18 liters of water to bait poison,
commencing at pre-oviposition period
and repeat at 15 days interval.
Three weeks before harvesting, spray
Deltamethrin 2.8 EC @ 0.5 ml/l +
Azadiractin (3000 ppm) or 2 ml/liter.
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7. Two to three sprays at fortnightly
intervals commencing from last week
of July with monocrotophos (0.05%)
or quinalphos (0.05%) controls leaf
webber. This spay will also take care
of mango psylla.
Spray monocrotophos 2 times (0.04%)
or dimethoate (0.06%) at 21 days
interval for the control of scale insect.
Spray quinalphos (0.05%) or
monocrotophos (0.5%) from the
emergence of new flush for the
control of leaf miner.
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8. Stem borer, bark eating caterpillar and
shoot borer
For the control of stem borer and
bark eating caterpillar, clean hole
and insert cotton wool soaked in
emulsion of monocrotophos (0.05%)
or kerosene or petrol in each hole
and plug them with mud or drench
stem thoroughly with
monocrotophos (0.05%), if the
incidence is high.
Spray of monocrotophos or
quinalphos (0.05%) at fortnightly
interval from the commencement of
new flush controls shoot borer.
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9. Stone weevil and fruit borer
Spray dimethoate (0.1%) twice at 15 days interval
when fruits are of marble size.
Spray main trunk, primary branches and junction
of branches prior to flowing (November,
December) with monocrotophos @ 2.5 ml to
control stone weevils hiding in the bark.
Spray acephate 75 SP @ 1.5 g/l when fruits are of
lime size followed by deltamethrin 2.8 EC @
1ml/l after two or three weeks.
Spray monocrotophos 1.5 ml/l at marble size
onwards for the control of fruit borer, and repeat
with deltamethrin 28 EC @ 1ml/l after two weeks
in case of heavy infection.
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10. Termites
Remove the mud galleris on trunk and spray the trunk
with Malathion (1.5 ml/l, and drench the soil at the
base of the tree with monocrotophos (1ml/l) after two
month for the control of termites.
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11. Summary
Monocrotophos, malathion, dimethoate, quinalphos,
deltamethrin, acephate, imidacloprid, and lambda
cyhalothrin are some of the commonly used
insecticides used for the management of insect pests in
mango.
Insecticide spray should be avoided fortnight before
fruit harvest.
Repeated application of same insecticide should be
avoided.
Use recommended dose of insecticide for effective
management of the target pest.
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