A Management Schedule for the Cocoa Mealy Bug Planococcus Lilacinus Ckll. By Spot Application of Insecticides
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1993
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Abstract
Planococcus lilacinus Ckll. which has a wide distribution in all the cocoa growing tracts of India is the dominant species of mealy bug on the crop. Various species of attendant ants, particularly the red ant Oecophylla smaragdina Fab., are seen consistently associated with mealy bug colonies. Observations on symbiotic relationship of the ants with the mealy bugs suggest that the pest can be indirectly managed by tackling the attendant ants. In cocoa the build up of the pest commences with the cessation of rains in October-November and the activity of ants also begins simultaneously. A field trial revealed that spot applications of insecticides at their initial population build up were significantly effective in maintaining the pest population and its natural enemies in a garden where the ant population was regulated periodically revealed that predation of the mealy bug by natural enemies was effective till the onset of the summer season. The advantages of spot application of insecticides over the blanket application of insecticides which is generally practised for control of the pest are discussed in the paper.
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Journal of Plantation Crops 21 (Suppl): 182-185