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Plantation Crops

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Mealybugs and their Management in Agricultural and Horticultural crops

Abstract

Among the sucking pest complex, mealybugs constitute one of the major production constraints that reduce yield of plantation crops. Fifty-seven species of Pseudococcids have been reported on palms of which Dysmicoccus, Planococcus, Pseudococcus, Nipaecoccus and Rhizoecus are the major genera reported worldwide. Palmicultor palmarum, Dysmicoccus finitimus, Rhizoecus sp., Nipaecoccus nipae and Pseudococcus cryptus are the major species reported on coconut palm from India. Pseudococcus cryptus, Dysmicoccus brevipes and Dysmicoccus sp. infest arecanut palm. Planococcus lilacinus, Planococcus citri, Rastrococcus iceryoides and Paracoccus marginatus are reported to infest cocoa from India. Planococcoides njalensis has gained importance as vector of swollen shoot disease of cocoa especially in West Africa. Several ant species viz., Oecophylla smaragdina, Technomyrmex sp., Dolichoderus bituberculatus were found associated with mealy bug colonies in plantation crops. Strategies on integrated pest management include pruning of heavily infested branches, timely delivery of nutrients as per recommendation, conservation/augmentation of natural enemies particularly lady bird beetles, use of neem-based botanical formulations as well as application of systemic insecticides.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kayamkulam, 690 533, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India

    Chandrika Mohan, P. Rajan & A. Josephrajkumar

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  1. Chandrika Mohan
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  2. P. Rajan
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  3. A. Josephrajkumar
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Correspondence to Chandrika Mohan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. of Horticultural Research, Indian Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    M. Mani

  2. Indian Institute of Horticultural Resear, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    C. Shivaraju

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Mohan, C., Rajan, P., Josephrajkumar, A. (2016). Plantation Crops. In: Mani, M., Shivaraju, C. (eds) Mealybugs and their Management in Agricultural and Horticultural crops . Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2677-2_58

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