Mealybugs

Mealybugs

Damage

Leaves are distorted (rolled or folded), stunted,  and yellow. Heavy infestation causes dropping of leaves  and flowers and reduces fruit setting. Attacked developing fruits drop prematurely. Like the other sap- feeding insects, mealybugs excrete (eliminate) large quantities of honeydews, which promote sooty mold that caused blackenedmalformed leaves, stems, and fruits. Infested fruits are unmarketable.

Description

Eggs are oval, yellow, and are laid in an ovisac of sculpted white wax. Newly hatched nymphs are pale- yellow and have two waxy filaments on the posterior end. As they grow, the white mealy wax coverings on their bodies increase and white lateral processes are formed. Wing pads appear in the prepupal stage and gradually increase in size during the pupal stage. The adults have white mealy wax coverings, hence the  name.

Control measures

Physical methods

1. Spray a steady stream of water (reasonably high pressure) on the host plant to knock-off mealybugs.  Once on the ground, the fallen ones will be available to ground predators and this will also make their return to the plant difficult. Wetting mealybugs encourages fungal pathogens that may infest on them.

2. Handpicking

Rub or handpick mealybugs from affected plants to reduce populations. They release chemicals that signal others to drop and leave.

1. Pruning

Prune affected plant parts to remove mealybugs. Remove and destroy heavily infested plant. This will cut down sites and reduce future populations.

Plant extracts

Chili spray

In a pot, boil 4 cups of ripe pods or 5 cups of

chili seeds in water for 15-20 minutes. Take the pot

from the fire and add 3 liters of water. Cool and

strain. Add 30 grams of

soap. Stir well. Strain.

This spray material

also controls fruit flies.

Other methods

Soap spray

Soap spray Method of preparation Mix 2½ tbsp of liquid soap to a gallon of water. Stir well. Another method is to mix 1 tbsp of dishwashing detergent with 1 cup of cooking oil, to make a stock solution. For a gallon of spray, add 5-8 tbsp of stock solution to a gallon of water. Pests controlled Ants Leafhoppers Mealybugs Psyllids Scales Spider mites Thrips Whiteflies and Plant diseases