Fruits - vol. 32, n^1, 1977 -6 1 Insect pests of guava in India and their control . Dhamo K. BUTANI * GUAVA (P.sidiurn guajava LINNAEUS) is a native o f photosynthetic activity and as a result the vigourou s tropical America but is now pantropical in distribution . I n growth of the tree is adversely affected . The attack by this India, it was introduced early in 17th century and a t pest is more common and serious during surnmer months . present it occupies an area of about 60 thousand hectare s which is 5 per cent of the total area under fruits in India . Besides this scale, RAIIMAN and ANSARI (1941 ) Of this, more than half is in Uttar Pradesh and about 10,00 0 recorded Aonidiella (Chrysomphalus) aurantii (MASK Vt ELL ) hectares in Bihar and the remaining 20,000 hectares ar e A . orientalis (NEWSTEAD), Aspidiotus destructor SIGNO- spread all over India . The fruit is very rich in vitamin C an d RET. AYYAR (1963) added A . trilobitiformis GREEN an d A and contains a fair amount of calcium as well . It i s Mytilaspis pallida GREEN . Sometimes Coccus (Eulecanium ) eaten as such or cooked and is also used for making ja m uiridi (GREEN) and Saissetia coffeae hemisphaericus TAR- and jelly . Like any other fruit, guava too is vulnerable to th e GIONI also appear in large number (WADI!! and BATRA , ravages of various insect pests, which cause a regula r 1964) . In addition, Ceroplastes floridensis (COMSTOCK) , substantial loss both in quality and quantity of fruit. Abou t Chrysomphalus son.idum (LINNAEUS), Coccus hesperidu m 40 species of insects have so far been recorded thrivin g LINNAEUS, Ilemiberlesia ataniae (SIGNOIIET), lnsulaspis upon this crop, of which less than dozen have attended th e pallidula WILLIAMS, Lindingaspis rossi (MASKW ELL) , status of pest - major or minor . The major pests includ e Parlatoria pergandei COMISTOCK,Parasaissetia nigra (NIET- coccids (scale insects and mealy bugs), fruit flies, bark eatin g NER), caterpillars and castor capsule borer while those of mino r Saissetia oleae (IIERNAItD) have also been recorde d importance are stern borers, pomegranate butterfly, casto r occasionally . Of these C . viridi often occurs even as a majo r sernilooper, aphid, thrips, white fly, tea mosquito, cockcha- pest specially in South India . It is found in large colonies o n fer beetles, grey weevils, etc . Besides, mites and birds also leaves and tender shoots usually along the veins on ventra l cause a fait amount of loss . side of leaves, sucking the cell sap therefrom . Prompt pruning of the affected parts and their destruc- SCALE INSECT S tion in the initial stage of attack prevents the building up o f pest population . In case of severe attack pruning followed Chloropulvinaria psidii (MASK\\EI .L) is a serious pest o f by 2-3 sprayings at 10-12 days, interval with 0 .04 diazi - guava . According to AN YAlt (1963) it is a specific pest o f non or dichlorvos (DI) VP) or 0 .1 BHC 0 .1 DI)1 is re - guava though it has also been found on litchi, mango, sapo- commended to keep these scale insects under check . ta, tea, etc ., as of minor importance . The pest is found al l over India and Sri Lanka and has also been reported fro m Bangladesh (AI,AM, 1962) . In India, it is more pronounce d MEALY BUGS in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra states . Mango mealy bug, Urosicha (Illonophelbus) mangiff ,rae Small, flat, motionless, yellowish-green scale like insect s (GItEEN) . a major pest of mango, also attacks apple , are found in colonies sticking to leaves, sucking cell sa p apricot, ber (Zizyphus spp.), cherry, Citrus, falsa, fig, grapes , therefrom . The insects also exude honeydew on whic h guava, jack fruit, jarnun (Syzygium cuminii SKEELS) , fungus, ~Mleliola psidii grows very rapidly covering th e litchi, mulberry, papaya, peach, pear, plum, pomegranate , leaves and twigs with sooty mould . This hindens in th e etc . Eggs are laid in clusters, 50-300 turn deep in soil aroun d tree trunks during summer . llatching of these eggs lakes place from November onwards ; late monsoons and winter - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 . 62 - Fruits - vol . 32, u~1, 197 7 rains delay the emergence of nymphs . Freshly hatche d white maggots bore inside the fruits and start feeding o n nymphs craweup the tree to settle on a succulent spot an d soft pulp . When full grown . they come out of the fruits an d start sucking the sap therefrom . pupate in the soil. The infested fruits show depression s with dark greenish punctures and when cut open wriggling To control, plough around the trees to expose and kil l maggots are seen inside . Later, the affected fruits ge t the eggs ; mix thoroughly 5% heptachlor or chlordane dus t malformed, rot and all down . Attack on guava is more in the upper 400-500 nun of soil around the trees to kill severe during rainy season (June - September) and continues the freshly emerged. nymphs and to prevent the nymph s upto December . Soft pulp varieties are more susceptibl e from climbing up the trees, lie around the tree trunk , than hard pulp ones . Life-history and bionomics of the pes t alkathine sheet (400 gauge) as suggested in case of mang o have been studied by JANJUA (1948) and SHAH and al . (13UTANl 1975) . If the nymphs be observed on the trees , (1948). Egg and grub stages last for 2-3 and 12-15 day s spray 0 .04% diazinon or rnouocroiophos against the youn g respectively while pupal period varies between 6 days i n nymphs and 0 .1 f diazinon, phoaphamidou or endosuLfa u summer to 44 (lays in winter . Besides D . dorsalis, guava i s against the full grown nymphs and adults . also attacked by guava fruit fly D . diversus COQUIL,I .ET , t Other mealy hugs commonly found on guava include , melon fruit fly D . cucurbilae COQUILLET and peach frui Ferrisia (Ferisiana) virgata (COCKERELL), Ilemaspidio- fly 1). zombis SAUNDERS . Of these, 1). diversus i s proctus cinerus (GREEN), Iceryaaegypliaca (DOUGLAS) , commonly found in guava and loquat orchards durin g 1. purchasi MASKVEI,L, Nipaecoccus niridis (NE\VSlEAD ) winter and these migrate to cueurbits as and when the sam e (corvmbatus GREEN), N. uipae (MASK\YELL) and Plano - are available while D. cucurbitae attacks guava only during coccus lilacinus (COCKERELL) . All these are polyphagous hot and dry weather when cucurbits are not available . TIu ' pests and of minor importance in case of guava . F. virgata main host of D . zonatus is peach and it attacks guava usual- and P. lilacinus are major pests of custard apple (Auon a ly during monsoon months . and 1 . aegyptiaca are sguamosa LINNAEUS) ; N. riddis Since adult flies are active on wings while maggots an d LAM .) , destructive to jack - fruit (Arlocarpus heterophyllus pupae are inside the fruit and soil respectively, it is rathe r while 1. purchasi is an exotic insect (from Australia) whic h difficult to check this-pest by spraying or dusting . Harvest has been found m India, damaging besides guava, appl e the fruits before they ripe . PEIITA and VAIiMA (19613 ) (:ilrns grapes and mango as well . These mealy bugs ar e suggested potion baiting with protein Irydrolysaie malatlrio n found on tender twigs and leaves suckings the plant sap ; and water (1 :10) . The bait may be kapt in small fla t resulting in loss of vigour . Like other coccids, they also containers, suspended 3-4 per tree . Besides attracting fruit - secret honeydew which favours the fungal development , flies, adults of fruit sucking moths and castor capsule borer giving the leaves and twigs black appearance and affectin g too will be attracted and killed . lALGER L (1(167) ha s adversely the growth and fruiting capacity of the tree . suggested spraying with 0 .03% phosphamidon or 0 .06 % Prune and destroy the affected twigs in the initial stag e methyl detneton, which brings down the population t o of attack ; followed by spraying with 0 .05% dicldorvo s some extent . In addition, removal and prompt destructio n (DMP) (VENAL, 1974) or 0 .1% carbaryl . of all infested and fallen fruits as also ploughing around th e trees during winter help to prevent carry over of the pest . FRUIT FLIES BARK EATING CATERPILLARS Mango fruit fly, Dacus (Slrumeta) dorsali.s (IIENDEL) - a pest of potential importance is eostnupolitan and breed s Indarbela tetraonis (MOORE) a polyphagous pest that on a variety of fruits . Though as the name suggests, mang o attacks and damages number of trees (fruit and forest ) is its main host, but PR [TIl I and It \TR,A (196(1) reporte d prefers guava . It is found in abundance in neglected orchard s guava also as a prefered host . Besides it also feed and bree d specially in Uttar Pradesh . Besides guava, it is a destructive on Citrus, fig, loquat, peach, pear . etc. Ii is found al l pest of Citrus, falsa, janun . litchi, mango, etc . Stout , . f, rare destructive in dirty brown moths appear during May-June and lay eggs Fruits - vol. 32, n^l, 1977 - 63 a year . Cherry stem borer, Aeolesthes holoserica FABRICIUS - a Another species, I. quadrinotata (WALKER) is also foun d major pest of cherry has also been recorded boring guav a on guava, though this is a major pest of mango (BIJTANI , stems . The pest is polyphagus and has been collected fro m 1975) . It is found in large numbers in those neglected guav a apple, apricot, crab-apple, mulberry, peach, pear, walnut , orchards that are in vicinity of mango orchards .