Abstract
A hitherto unrecorded species of mealybug was discovered in early 2008 in the western provincial districts Colombo and Gampaha in Sri Lanka, infesting a large number of plant species. Investigations were done to identify the pest and to study its host range, nature of damage and distribution, and to design and implement control measures. The pest was identified as papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), an invasive alien species originating from Mexico and/or Central America. The mealybug found to heavily infest more than 40 plant species including papaw, the major host, and several horticultural and floricultural crops like Plumeria, manioc, bread fruit, Alstonia macrophylla and Jatropha spp. By 2009 the pest had spread to other parts of the country including the North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North Central, Central and Eastern provinces. As an immediate control measure, imidacloprid 200SL, thiamethoxam 25%WG and Mineral oil were recommended for the control of this pest until biological control agents could be introduced.
Highlights
A mealybug species was reported infesting a large number of plant species in Colombo and Gampaha districts in Sri Lanka for the first time in July 2008 by Extension Officers of the Department of Agriculture
This paper summarizes the information collected on the identity, host plants, distribution and damage caused by the mealybug
The damage symptoms, rapid post-mortem colour change and diagnostic morphological characteristics described below initially determined the invasive pest as the papaya mealybug, P. marginatus
Summary
A mealybug species was reported infesting a large number of plant species in Colombo and Gampaha districts in Sri Lanka for the first time in July 2008 by Extension Officers of the Department of Agriculture. The pest was observed to spread rapidly and occurred in large colonies on all aerial plant parts, including leaves and fruits, destroying many plants including papaw and Plumeria (temple trees). This mealybug species, which had not been recorded from Sri Lanka before, posed a great threat to commercial papaw plantations in Sri Lanka spanning approximately 6,200ha. The study area was confined to Colombo, Gampaha, Matale, Kandy, Kurunegala and Kegalle districts. This paper summarizes the information collected on the identity, host plants, distribution and damage caused by the mealybug,
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