The mango mealybug (Drosicha mangiferae) is a pest of mango crops in Asia. The nymphs and females suck plant sap from inflorescences, tender leaves, shoots and fruit peduncles. As a result, the infested inflorescences dry up, affects the fruit set, causing fruit drop. These bugs also exude honey dew over the mango tree leaves, on which sooty mold fungus develops reducing the photosynthetic efficiency of the tree. It is a polyphagous pest and is found on over 60 other plant species. Despite its name, it is not a true mealybug (family Pseudococcidae) but rather a member of the Monophlebidae.
In Pakistan, Drosicha mangiferae is univoltine and has a total lifecycle of 78âÂÂ135 days. Between April and May, purple-colored eggs are laid in egg-sacs consisting of a mass of wax threads, in the loose soil around (within 2âÂÂ3 m radius) the infested mango trees. Eggs hatch in DecemberâÂÂJanuary and nymphs start ascending the trees to succulent shoots and the bases of fruiting parts. Nymphs go through stages of 1st instar (45âÂÂ71 days), 2nd instar (18âÂÂ38 days) and 3rd instar (15âÂÂ26 days). Female and male appearance starts during MarchâÂÂApril. Males are winged and short-lived after mating, and do not cause damage to the trees.
There is a range of cultural, chemical and non-chemical techniques for minimizing damage to the mango crop, for example the use of physical barriers to stop Drosicha mangiferae nymphs crawling up the stem of mango trees, by wrapping plastic sheets or sticky bands (sometimes impregnated with insecticide) around the tree stem. biological control: Encurage natural enimes Sumnius rendari ( predatory leaf bird)