Popular Article Journal Home: www.bioticainternational.com Article: RT0129 How to cite this article? Biotica Bose et al., 2020. Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis antonii Signoret) and its Management in Guava. Research Today Research [2(5) Spl.: 333-334. [ Today 333 Abstract Vol 2:5 uava is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and 334 subtropical regions. Its production was severely affected by 2020 Spl. Gmany insect pests. The tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis antonii is one such pest causes economic damage to guava in the recent years causing significant reduction in yield and marketable fruits. This pest Tea Mosquito Bug can be well efficiently managed by following integrated management practices viz. cultural, biological and chemical methods. (Helopeltis anto- Introduction uava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the most important nii Signoret) and commercial fruit crop in India. It is rich source of Gvitamin C, pectin and minerals. The production of its Management in guava was drastically affected by many insect pests. Among them, the tea mosquito bug causes severe damage to the Guava fruits. In India, there are three species of tea mosquito bug viz., 1* 2 Helopeltis antonii, H. bradyi and H. theivora were reported. A. Subash Chandra Bose , I. Rabeena Among them, H. antonii is the most dominant species. It has 3 and T. Sathyan a wide host range such as tea, cashew, moringa, guava, neem, 1S. Thangapazham Agriculture College, Vasudevanallur cocoa and other host plants. The yield loss can be minimized Tirunelveli (627 760), India by following proper management practices. The damage 2Agricultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Madurai symptoms caused by them and their management measures (641 003), India are given below. 3Dept. of Agricultural Entomology, TNAU, Madurai Bionomics (641 003), India he female tea mosquito bug inserts its eggs into epidermis of tender shoot, axis of inflorescence and Ttender fruits. The eggs are white, elongated and slightly Open Access curved with a pair of filaments and egg period is 7-8 days. The nymphs are brown in colour with five nymphal instars that vary Corresponding Author in size, colour and development of body parts. The nymphal A. Subash Chandra Bose period is about 14-16 days. The adults are reddish brown with e-mail: [email protected] black head, red thorax and black and white abdomen. The life cycle is completed in 22-25 days. Keywords Guava, Tea mosquito bug, IPM Article History Received in 16th May 2020 Received in revised form 24th May 2020 Figure 1: Nymph on bud Figure 2: Adult Accepted in final form 25th May 2020 Damage Symptoms ymphs and adult feed on petioles, tender shoots and leaf veins causing necrotic lesions, coalesce to form E-mail: [email protected] Npatches. The brownish-black necrotic patches and © 2020 333 Bose et al., 2020 resin exudes from feeding punctures of foliage. They make IPM Practices rusty corky growth / blisters / scab on fruits. Under severe infestations the shoots, inflorescence and flowers may dry y employing the following integrated pest management off and shedding of fruits occurs. strategies, one can easily manage the tea mosquito bug Bin an efficient manner. Figure 3. Necrotic lesions on bud Figure 4. Necrotic lesions on marble Figure 5. Corky growth on fruit sized fruits Cultural control thoroughly covering foliage and bark during early morning or • The pruning should be done to regulate the shade in order late evening hours. to facilitate proper penetration of sunlight inside the canopy. • Clothianidin 50 WDG 120 g/ha (or) thiacloprid 21.7 SC 375 • Trees growing in soil having high ratio of available potash ml/ha (or) thiamethoxam 25 WG 100g/ha (or) bifenthrin 8 SC to available phosphoric acid show less infestation of this 500 ml/ha (or) chlorpyriphos 20 EC 1250ml/ha (or) dimethoate pest. Therefore, application of more potassium to the crop is 30 EC 1000ml/ha. advisable to keep the pest population under control. • Spray malathion 50 EC 0.1% at least 3 times at 21-days st • Remove the volunteer (self-sown) alternate hosts such as interval during the fruiting season: 1 at the time of emergence cashew, neem, cocoa, cotton, moringa, jamun etc. in guava of new flushes, the second at floral formation and the third orchards to reduce the persistence of the pests. at fruit set. Mechanical control • The spraying of insecticides should be started from periphery of the infested plantations to trap the migratory and escaping • Collect and destroy the damaged plant parts. population. • Monitor the pest in field at regular interval and collect the Conclusion nymphs and adult by using hand nets at twilight hours. Biological control he above mentioned IPM measures can be productively imposed wherever applicable for the management • viz Several field occurring natural enemies . predators and of tea mosquito bug in guava. As it is a fruit crop, it is parasitoids effectively check the tea mosquito bugs. T directly consumed by human and it is better to avoid spraying • Predators: Red ant, dragonfly, spider, praying mantis, synthetic insecticides. Thus natural enemies normally occur black ant, anthocorid bug. reduviid bug, Oxyopes sp., green in the orchard will be greatly conserved which paves way for lacewing, Crematogaster wroughtoni etc. effective pest management • Parasitoids: Telenomus sp., Chaetostricha sp., Erythmelus References helopeltidis etc. • Several isolates of the fungus Beauveria bassiana are Patil, G.R., Naik. K., 2004. Studies on the seasonal incidence of pathogenic to both nymphs as well as adults of tea mosquito tea mosquito bug on guava cultivars. Karnataka Journal bug. Field application during flushing and flowering period of Agricultural Sciences, 17, 339-340. with concentration of 107 spores/ml is a potential approach Saroj, P.L., Bhat, P.S., Srikumar, K.K., 2016. Tea mosquito bug for the management of this pest. (Helopeltisspp.) – A devasting pest of cashew plantations in India: A review. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, • Aspergillus flavus Spraying of causes 85-90 % mortality. 2, 151-161. Chemical control • Spray any one of the following insecticides with surfactant © 2020 334.