Pest and Disease Control Strategies in Organic Fruit Production

Abstract

Organic farming in mango is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biological cycles, biodiversity, integrity and soil biological activities based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on-farm management practices that maintain, restore and enhance harmony in the ecological system. In India, organic mango production was practised only by individual NGOs and entrepreneurs in isolated areas and is now slowly gaining popularity due to increased organic agribusiness trade, demand for safe food by the consumers, support from the government to organic fruit producers and income security to growers. Among other production problems, the challenge in organic mango production is timely control of several insect pests like hoppers, mealy bugs, stem bores and fruit flies and diseases like powdery mildew, anthracnose, sooty mould, mango malformation, etc. that drastically reduce fruit yields and quality. For successful organic mango production an integrated pest management approach which involves underlying preventative approaches to minimize the occurrence and extent of problems. Those practising organic mango cultivation in complementation with the adoption of IPM strategies observe greater yields and profits than organic farm cultivators without IPM. It may require some change in chemicals used for specific pest or disease control. Efforts to improve biodiversity of the organic farm to attract and harbour beneficial predators can better the efficiency of the employed IPM methods. Growing resistant varieties are best option. But any variety cannot be resistant to all pest problems. Alternate strategies to successfully control pests in organic mango production are hence needed. Some of them are discussed here.