Identification, Symptoms and Nature of Damage: Sap Feeders

1. Mango Mealy Bug Identification, Symptoms and Nature of Damage: Sap Feeders Leaf Hoppers Scale insects Inflorescence Midge

2. Mango Hopper Idioscopus clypealis, I. itidulus and Amritodus atkinsoni Order: Hemiptera Family: Cicadellidae

3. Introduction • The mango hoppers are the most destructive pests of all the varieties of mango. • Three species of hoppers Idioscopusclypealis, I. nitidulus and Amritodusatkinsoni are the most important and found on panicles, leaves and stems, respectively.  • The hoppers are prevalent in the mango flowering season, multiply in large numbers and proves devastating to the crop. • Damage to the mango crop may be as high as 60 per cent. The growth of young trees is much retarded and older trees do not bear much fruits

4. Identification • Nymph – The nymphs of Idiosocopusclypealisare dull yellow or dust yellow, whereas those ofAmritodusatkinsoni are pale yellow, elongated and more active. • Adult: Small insects 4-5mm long with the body shape of a miniature cicada / wedge shaped. • Amritodusatkinsoni Adults: large, light brown with two spots on scutellum. • Idioscopusnitidulus; Adults: dark with wavy lines on wings and three spots on scutellum. • I. clypealis; Adults: small, light brown with dark spots on the vertex and two spots on scutellum.

5. Life Cycle of Mango Hopper • Female inserts eggs into flower buds, inflorescence stalks and tender leaves. • Incubation period: 4-7 days • Nymphal Period: 12-17 days • Completes 2-3 generation in flowering period

6. Symptoms • The pest usually occurs in high numbers on mango flowers during the spring and on leaves during the summer. • When disturbed, the adults jump off the plant with a distinctive clicking sound, make a short flight and settle back on the plant. The nymphs cannot fly, but they can be seen moving rapidly on the plants.

7. Nature of Damage • Drying of infested tissue: Large number of nymphs and adults puncture and suck the sap of tender parts such as panicles, inflorescence, leaves and fruits, thereby reducing the vigour of the plants and particularly destroying inflorescence and causing fruit drop. • Sooty mould:They also damage the crop by excreting a sweet sticky substance which facilitates the development of sooty mould, a fungi, which affects photosynthesis activities of leaf, reducing the vigour of the plants. Heavy puncturing and continuous draining of the sap cause curling and drying of the infested tissue.

8. Mango Mealy Bug Dorsicha mangiferae Homoptera:Margarodidae

9. Introduction • Mealy bug is another major pest of mango in India and is widely distributed. • Dorsichamangiferae is the most common mealy bug and causes severe damage to mango crop throughout the country. • Nymphs and adults suck the plant sap and reduce the vigour of the plant. Excessive and continuous draining of plant sap causes wilting and finally drying of infested tissue.

10. Identification • Adult: • The adult male is winged and small • Female is bigger and wingless. • The females can be identified by their flat shape, covered with white flocculent wax covering. • Nymph – The nymphs are flat in shape and pink to brown in colour.

11. Life Cycle of Mealy Bug The female crawl down the tree in the month of April-May and enter in the cracks in the soil for laying eggs in large numbers encased in white egg sacs. Just after hatching, the minute newly hatched pink to brown coloured nymphs crawl up the tree. The eggs lie in diapause state in the soil till the return of the favourable conditions in the month of November - December.

12. Nature of Damage • Presence of pinkish nymphs and adult mealy bugs on trunk, branches, fruits and fruit stalk. • After climbing up the tree they start sucking the sap of tender plant parts. • Adults and nymphs both suck the plant sap and reduce the plant growth, destroy inflorescence and causes fruit drop. • Excessive and continuous draining of plant sap causes wilting and finally drying of infested tissue. • Mealy bug excretes honey dew, a sticky substance, which facilitates the development of sooty mould fungi.

13. Scale Insects Of Mango ChionaspisvitisChloropulvinariapsidii Order: Hemiptera Family: Diaspididae

14. Introduction • Scale insect: Scale insects were not considered serious pest on mango in any part of the country till recently, but of late, they have assumed the status of serious pest in certain parts of the country. Two species of scale insect are most serious in India. • a.Chionaspisvitis- White elongate hard scale.b. Chloropulvinariapsidii- Females with white ovisac.

15. Identification • Adult : White, elongate, hard scale. • Male are smaller than female. • Female scale is oval in shape having transparent skin coat.

16. Symptoms • Both adults and nymphs suck the sap of leaves. Severe infestation completely coats the underside of leaves which become yellow and die. • It also caused cracking of bark and decline • Flower spikes and fruits may also be infested.

17. Nature of damage • The nymphs and adult scales suck the sap of the leaves and other tender parts and reduce the vigour of the plants.  • Secrete honeydew which encourages the development of sooty mould on leaves and other tender parts of the mango plant.  • In case of severe scale infestation, growth and fruit bearing capacity of the tree is affected adversely.

18. Mango Inflorescence midge Erosomyia indica Order: Diptera Family: Cecidomyiidae

19. Introduction • The mango inflorescence midge, Erosomyiaindica Grover Diptera : cecidomyiidae) is another major pest of mango.  •  Recently, this pest has become very serious in certain pockets of Uttar Pradesh causing serious damage to mango crop by attacking both the inflorescence and the small fruits.  •  In addition to the inflorescence midge, Erosomyiaindica, two other gall-midges Dasineuraamramanjarae  and ProcystiphoramangiferaeFelt have been found damaging the mango inflorescence

20. Identification • Larva : A maggot light yellowish colour and moults three times. • Adult:       • a. Dasineuraamaramanjarae: Orange red •  b. Erosomyiaindica: Yellowish fly •  c. Procystiphoramangiferae: Light orange fly

21. Life Cycle • The adult midge are harmless minute flies which are short lived and die within 24 hours of emergence after copulation and oviposition.  •  The flies lay eggs singly on floral parts like tender inflorescence axis, newly set fruit or tender leaves encircling the inflorescence.   • The eggs hatch within 2-3 days.  Upon hatching, the minute maggots penetrate the tender parts on which the eggs have been laid and feed on them. • The larval period varies from 7-10 days. • The mature larvae drop down into the soil for pupation.   • The pupal period varies from 5-7 days.   • There are 3-4 overlapping generations of the pest spread over the period from January-March.

22. Symptoms and Nature of Damage • Maggots attack the inflorescence stalk, flowers and small developing fruits. • Maggot bore into the bud and feeds on inner content. • Buds fail to open and drop down. • Larval feeding prevents flower opening and consequently also development.

23. Summary • Sap feeding insects are generally small and hard to detect before they begin to do damage. They feed by piercing leaves or stems with sharp, needle-like mouth parts, and then sucking out the plant's juices. In mango orchards sap feeding insects mainly are mango hopper, mealy bug, scale insects and inflorescence midge. • The mango hoppers are the most destructive pests of all the varieties of mango. Three species of hoppers Idioscopusclypealis, I. nitidulus and Amritodusatkinsoni are the most important. Adult and nymphs suck the sap of tender parts which facilitates development of fungi .This pest is prevalent during spring and summer. • Mango mealy bug Dorsichamangifera is common and major pest of mango in India. It causes severe damage to mango crop throughout the country. Adult and nymphs both suck the plant sap and reduce the vigour of plant. Mealy bug excrete honey dew which cause development of sooty mould fungi. • Scale insect has attained status of serious pests in India recently. Two species of Scale insect Chionaspsisvitis and C.psidii are found to be serious in the country. Both adults and nymphs suck the sap of plant, during severe infestation yellowing of leaves take place and plant die. • The mango inflorescence midge, Erosomyiaindica is major pest of mango.  Adults are harmless, maggots bore inside the tender parts and feed upon them which eventually hampers development. It can be controlled by removing affected flowers and tender shoots

24. References • Butani, D.K. (1993). Mango: Pest Problems. Delhi, India: Periodical Expert Book Agency, 290 pp. • Reddy P.Parvatha. Advances in integrated pest and diseases management in horticultural crops. Volume I Fruit crops . Studium press(India ) Pvt Ltd.359pp. • Srivastava, R.P. (1997). Mango Insect Pest Management (first edition). Lucknow, India: International Book Distributing Co., 272 pp. • Verma. L.R., Verma A.K and Gautam, D.C.(2004). Pest management in horticultural crops: Principles and practices.D.K Publishers. 544pp. • http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRbK4UTUqEc2X4DXN5JTK9Svul0yITOtR1Ifcb0mX-YaJr_FOcFuQ • http://agspsrv34.agric.wa.gov.au/Ento/Surveillance/Mango%20leafhopper.html