Suppression of white mango scale, Aulacaspis tubercularis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on mango trees in El-Beheira Governorate,‎ Egypt.

Abo-Shanab H.

doi:10.21608/eajbsa.2012.13870

Abstract

White mango scale, Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) is a serious pest on mango (Mangifera spp.), (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) which became recently a troublesome pest in all mango orchards in Egypt. It causes fatal damage especially to late cultivars by sucking leaves which turn pale-green or yellow and ultimately die or fruit causing conspicuous pink blemishes around insect feeding sites resulting in external lesions rendering it unmarketable for export. Seasonal abundance was ‎estimated ‎throughout 2 successive years (2008 and 2009) and showed that the white mango scale (A. ‎tubercularis) had four peaks for its population density during the two studied ‎years, (April, ‎August, October and December, 2008) and (March, July, September ‎and ‎December, 2009). ‎Study of weather factors, [daily mean temperature (oC), relative ‎humidity (%), dew ‎point (oC) and wind speed (Km/h)] effects on A.tubercularis population ‎density illustrated that there was significant positive relationship between ‎‎(daily mean temperature and relative humidity) and counted population ‎density, but there was a significant ‎negative ‎relationship between ‎(wind speed ‎and dew point) and counted population ‎density. Two successive field experiments for eight weeks during early spring (2009 – 2010) aimed to test some summer/light mineral oils, (super masrona®, CAPL2® and Diver®) against A. tubercularis on ‎mango trees. The tested mineral oils were effective by the following descending order : Diver > CAPL2® > super masrona® without significant differences between diver and CAPL2 and significant differences with super masrona, with the same effective trend and same statistical means, during the two seasonal experiments. The study recorded a little numbers of natural enemies (Parasitoids (Aphytis mytilaspidis (Le Baron)andEncarsia citrina (Craw) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)), and ‎predators (Chilocorus bipustulatus (L.) andScymnus syriacus Marseul (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)). ‎It may be killed by previous bad history of chemical insecticides usage in this area.

Highlights

Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera : Diaspididae) (White mango scale insect) injures mangoes by feeding on the plant sap through leaves, branches and fruits, causing defoliation, drying up of young twigs, poor blossoming and so affecting the commercial value of fruits and their export potential especially to late cultivars where it causes conspicuous pink blemishes around the feeding sites of the scales
The data in Fig. (1) revealed that the highest population density of collected individuals occurred by the end of autumn season and comprised 1493 and 1311 individuals/5 trees, which represented 16.02% and 16.29% of total counted individuals in the first and second year, respectively
That is agree with Labushagne et al (1996) research results which carried out in South Africa where he mentioned that population peak at Kaapmuiden, with a highest mean temperature occurred in August, much earlier than at Nelspruit, where it occurred in November

Summary

Introduction

Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera : Diaspididae) (White mango scale insect) injures mangoes by feeding on the plant sap through leaves, branches and fruits, causing defoliation, drying up of young twigs, poor blossoming and so affecting the commercial value of fruits and their export potential especially to late cultivars where it causes conspicuous pink blemishes around the feeding sites of the scales. Young trees are vulnerable to excessive leaf loss and death of twigs, during hot dry weather. The heavily infested premature fruits dropping and the mature fruits became small in size with lacking of juice. A. tubercularis is a tropical species that may have. Workshop of Scale Insects and their role in agricultural development in Egypt. Held in Agricultural Research Center, Plant Protection Research Institute, Scale Insects Division (2012)

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