MANAGEMENT OF CITRUS PEST AN GLOBAL ISSUE ARTICLE ID. : 10 Misal M. R, Kendre A. H and Khaire P. B 1Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture Entomology, SSJPs, COA, Khandala, Vaijapur, (M.S.) 2Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, VNMKV, Parbhani (M.H) 3PhD Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, PGI, MPKV, Rahuri (M.H) Abstract Citrus is amongst the most significant fruit and one of the largest global fruit markets, produced in far more over 52 countries around the world. In India, 250 insect species and mites were recorded to infest various citrus species. Major pests of khasi mandarin oranges in the NEH region of India have been reported i. e. Trunk borer, Leaf miner, citrus psylla, red scale, mealy bugs and aphids. Such pests make a significant contribution to the declines of citrus in the area. The rejuvenation plan can be designed with a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of such pests. Better study is needed on some of the main elements necessary for eco sustainable protection Bio- monitoring through the increase and conservation of parasitoids combined with other non- pesticide approaches needs to be evaluated with a holistic citrus strategy. Further emphasis should be placed to the awareness of the biology and ecology of parasitoid organisms. Bio- pesticides, like botanicals, can provide a safe and efficient alternative to traditional pest management pesticides and herbicides under an integrated pest management plan. Key words: Citrus, insect-pest, management Introduction Among the most valuable fruit which is one of the biggest fruit industries in the world is citrus, cultivated in more than 52 countries worldwide. Mahmood et al., 2014 recorded that Brazil and China have become the leading citrus exporter in the world, generating about 45 million tonnes (MT) of citrus fruit collectively, preceded by the USA, India, Mexico and Spain, generating 10.7, 8.6, 7.2 and 5.5 MT each. India is 4th largest producer of citrus fruit in 1 | Page VOLUME 01 ISSUE 02: FEBRUARY 2021 the globe. Citrus fruit emerged in the tropics and subtropics of South East Asia, especially China and India. Throughout India, citrus is grown commercially in approximately 10.42 lakh ha with a yearly output of 100.90 lakh tonnes and a productivity of 9.7 t/ha (NHB, 2013) and is began the great in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and Gujarat. It is of specific importance due to its high concentration of vitamin C and soothing juices. Including its different forms of citrus fruit cultivation in India, orange (mandarin or santra), sweet orange (mosambi) and lime/lemon have been of commercial significance. The (NEA) North Eastern Area is among the wealthiest repositories of genetic variation of Citrus as the main and secondary centre of origin of a large number of citrus species and has been identified as among the key centres of diversity for citrus across both cultivated and wild types (Singh et al., 2006). NEA Comprehensive explorative study of mandarin orange revealed that Citrus indica is among the most basic citrus species available in the country. iSome successful indigenous thus far established as commercialised are cytron (C. medica), sweet lime (C. lamittoides), sour orange (C. aurantium), sweet pumalo (C. grandis), sour pumelo (C. megaloxycarpa), khasi pdaa (C. latipes), roughlemon (C. jambhiri), and so on. Heavy rain falls, big enough to hold humidity with suitable ambient temperature and planting and/or incidence of a number of wild and growing species of citrus harbour with the greatest amount of insects and pathogens of citrus throughout this area. The Total 250 insect species and mites were recorded to infest diverse citrus species (Wadhi and Batra, 1964) in india. The trunk borer, Anoplophora versteegi, Citrus psylla, Diaphorina citri and black aphids (Toxoptera aurantii and T. citricidus) are significant citrus threats. Throughout NEA, Leaf Miner, Phyllocnistis citrella is incredibly important and harm to nurseries and crops throughout each newly flush. Many insects of great economic importance contain lemon butterfly, leaf mining beetles, tobacco caterpillars, leaf folder, looper, mealy bugs, scales, orange bugs, bark eating caterpillars, fruit sucking moths and fruit flies, etc (Azad Thakur et al.,2012). 2 | Page VOLUME 01 ISSUE 02: FEBRUARY 2021 CITRUS BUTTERFLY Economic Importance : These are most destructive pests of citrus seedlings in nurseries stage. This pest is widely distributed in Burma, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. It infests almost allcitrus varieties though Malta (Citrus sinensis) is its preferred host. It can feed and breed on all varieties of cultivated or wild citrus and various other species of family Rutaceae. Besides citrus, it also attacks ber, wood apple, curry leaf. Marks of Identification : P. demoleus is a big beautiful butterfly with yellow and black markings on all the four wings, having wing expanse of about 50-60 mm. Its hind wings have a brick red oval patch near the anal margin and there is no tail like extension behind though common in Papilionidae. P. polytesmales are black and females vary in form. P. helenushas black wings with three white distal spots. The pest of citrus where the early instars (I & II) larva resembles bird droppings is citrus butterfly. Life History : Female 70-180 Yellowish white, round, smooth eggs are laid singly on tender leaves and shoots by P. demoleus. Egg hatches in about 3 – 8 days. Freshly hatched caterpillars are dark brown and soon develop irregular white markings on their body resembling bird’s drop. The full grown caterpillar is deep green and cylindrical in form and measures about 40-50 mm in length with a hump in front and has a horn like structure on the dorsal side of the last body segment. When the caterpillar is disturbed, it pushes out from the top of its prothorax a bifid, purple structure called osmeterium which emits a distinct smell. The larval duration varies between 11- 40 days. Pupation takes place on plant parts. Pupa which is a chrysalis is seen girdled by a fine silken thread on a twig of the plant. Adult emerges in a week in summer and in 12 –20 weeks in winter. Hibernation is in pupal stage and there are 2-4 overlapping generations per year. All citrus species and other plants like 3 | Page VOLUME 01 ISSUE 02: FEBRUARY 2021 bael, ber, curry leaves, bawachi are Host plant. Pest is active in monsoon season. Damaging stage is caterpillar. Nature of Damage : The caterpillars feed voraciously on tender leaves right up to the midribs and defoliate the entire seedlings or the tree leaving behind the only midribs. Thus the symptom of damage is leaves fed up to midribs and defoliation in citrus by caterpillar. MANAGEMENT : In small orchards and nurseries with mild infestation, hand picking and destruction of various stages of the pest. Natural enemies enumerated below suppress the pest population, Egg parasitoids: Trichogramma evanescens; Telenomus sp., Larval parasitoid: Distatrixpapilionis; Brachymeria sp., Pupal parasitoid: Pterolus sp., Spraying of Bacillus thuringiensis formulation (HALT) is found to be effective against early larval instars of citrus butterfly. , Spraying of monocrotophos 1.6 ml/l or dichlorvos 1 m/l or methyl parathion 2 ml/l when the caterpillars are small. CITRUS FRUIT SUCKING MOTHS Economic Importance : Moths puncture the fruits and causes fruit rot. This pest is distributed in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Hawai, Thailand etc. Besides citrus, it also attacks grapes, apple, castor, ber, pomegranate, guava etc. Marks of Identification : E. materna: The moth has brownish black forewings with a white stripe and yellowish hind wings with a circular black spot in the middle , E. fullonica: The moth has brownish forewings and yellowish black hind wings with a half moon or kidney shaped black spot and E. ancilla: The forewings of this moth are dark brown with a green band in the middle; hind wings are yellowish with a kidney shaped black spot. Life History : Eggs are lay singly on tender parts of wild foliage or leaves of weeds. Egg period is about 3-4 days. Caterpillar is a semilooper. Larvae of Eudacima sp feed on foliage of other weed hosts of the family Menispermaceae. Larval period is 13-17 days. Pupation is inside the leaf fold or soil and pupal period is 12-18 days. Pest is active in kharif season. Host plant of Larva is feeds on leaves of gulvel and vasanvel and moth feeds on fruit of citrus, mango, pomegranate, grape, cashewnut etc. Damaging stage of fruit sucking moth is only adults. Nature of damage : Moth are nocturnal and seen flying in orchards after dusk. The adult moths are harmful and damage the citrus fruits. Moth pierces the ripe fruit with its strong proboscis and sucks the sweet juice. The feeding injury opens way for invasion of bacteria, which makes the fruit rot around the punctures and drop prematurely. Achaea janata moth 4 | Page VOLUME 01 ISSUE 02: FEBRUARY 2021 also sucks the juice from the unripe fruits. The damage results in premature dropping of fruits. Rotting at the site of feeding injury. MANAGEMENT : Destruction of weed hosts around orchards is recommended to manage fruit sucking moth, Eradication of host plants viz. gulvel and vasanvel, Collection and destruction of rotten and dropped fruits, Smoke generation during late evening hours repels adults of fruit sucking moths from damage (Reason- Smoking of the orchards masks the odour of mature and ripening fruit that attracts the moth, Adults are highly phototropic. One fluorescent light/ha (light trap) one month before fruit maturation between 7.00 PM to 6.00 AM below which poison baits with sugar solution1% + fruit pulp + Malathion1 ml should be placed, Bagging of fruits with polythene or paper covers to avoid damage by adults of fruit sucking moth, Creating smokes in the orchards after sunset to keep the pest away which is also rather laborious, Arranging poison baits during Sep – Nov and Mar – May at fruiting under lights with a solution of malathion 1ml + fruit juice with 1% sugar to attract and kill adult moths.