What to Do When Podocarpus Gets Insects? Effective Control Methods

Podocarpus macrophyllus, also known as yew podocarpus and Chinese podocarpus, is an evergreen coniferous tree with high ornamental value, and can be used for furniture, utensils, farm tools, etc. However, during cultivation, it can be attacked by various insects, so what to do when podocarpus gets insects?

1. Red spider mite

Symptom manifestation: When podocarpus is harmed by red spider mite, the leaves fade, chlorophyll is destroyed, dense small yellow dots and small yellow patches appear on the surface, and they gradually shrink, turn yellow, wither, and in severe cases fall off, losing their due ornamental value.

Control method: Red spider mites often hide on the back of branches and leaves or in places with dense foliage, spinning webs for concealment, so manual capture is relatively easy.

If chemical agents are used for control, 20% dicofol emulsion can be used, adding 800-1000 times water to make a solution for spraying; this pesticide has a good killing effect on adults, nymphs and eggs. 50% dichlorvos emulsion can also be added to 1000-1500 times water to make a solution for spraying.

2. Scale insect

Symptom manifestation: The damage range is very wide; it sucks the sap of stems and leaves, causing poor plant growth and even inducing sooty mold, resulting in large-area damage to leaves. Its peak period is earlier than that of red spider mite, and it often reproduces in large numbers as early as early spring.

Control method: When the number is small, they can be removed with a bristle brush. In addition, 800-1000 times solution of methidathion can also be sprayed to kill them. Mixing a certain amount of carbofuran into the culture soil has a preventive effect, but the efficacy lasts only 3 months.

3. New leaf aphid

The new leaf aphid is a common insect pest on podocarpus. Its body is reddish brown or reddish purple, oval-shaped, about 1.3 mm long and about 0.6 mm wide, with truncated cornicles located on brown cones. The cauda is papillary and clearly protrudes from the end of the abdomen. Adults and nymphs gather on the tender shoots and the back of tender leaves of podocarpus to suck sap, causing poor growth of tender shoots, smaller leaves, yellowing leaf color, and weakened tree vigor. The new leaf aphid of podocarpus overwinters as eggs on branches; in April of the following year, the overwintering eggs hatch into nymphs, which gather on new shoots and cause damage; by May-June they reach the peak of reproduction, when the damage is most severe; after July, due to high temperatures, the insect population density clearly declines; after the weather turns cool in autumn, the population rises again; in October, female aphids and male aphids are produced, and after mating they lay eggs, which then overwinter as these eggs.

Control method: In early spring, before podocarpus has sprouted, spray 1-3 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture to kill overwintering eggs. And in late April, when the overwintering eggs are finished and nymphs begin to cause damage in the initial stage, spray 50% pirimicarb wettable powder 600-800 times solution, or 25% omethoate 1000-1500 times solution.