What are the latest control methods for mango scale insects?
Scale insects are one of the main pests of mango, seriously affecting mango yield and quality, and causing huge losses to growers' economic returns. So how should mango scale insects be controlled? Follow along with the editor to see the detailed introduction.
1. Damage symptoms
Scale insects mainly damage mango branches, fruit and leaves. They reproduce mainly by sucking plant sap, and often hide on the undersides of leaves, absorbing sap, causing leaves to turn yellow, seriously affecting photosynthesis, causing branches to lose water and the tree to weaken. At the same time, they also secrete large amounts of honeydew, providing a breeding ground for sooty mold and affecting the commercial value of the fruit. Scale insects prefer warm, humid environments, so they generally reproduce in large numbers during the rainy season. When temperatures drop, they hide in dead branches and fallen leaves to overwinter, and when the rainy season arrives they reproduce in large numbers and continue to cause damage.
2. Characteristics and habits
The main species of scale insects include coconut round scale, wheel scale, Ken's mealybug, horned wax scale and others. They are light brown, thin and transparent. Newly hatched larvae are light yellow-green, gradually turning yellow, and oval-shaped. Adults and larvae gather on leaf areas, absorbing sap, causing leaves to lose green and turn yellow. Newly hatched larvae crawl on the fruit, then fix themselves on the undersides of leaves or on the fruit, causing flower and fruit drop, and in severe cases weakening the tree. Fixing on the fruit skin also causes insect spots, and they secrete large amounts of honeydew and wax, inducing sooty mold and resulting in low commercial value of the fruit.
3. Control methods
Strengthen pruning in the orchard to improve air and light penetration, remove weeds promptly, and burn them together with residual branches and fallen leaves to reduce overwintering pest sources. In addition, lime sulfur mixture can be sprayed for a comprehensive orchard cleanup, which can effectively kill the pests. During peak pest periods, pay attention to protecting and releasing natural enemies. The natural enemies of scale insects include predatory ladybugs and green lacewings, and parasitic aphid wasps and encyrtid wasps. When choosing chemical control, choose low-toxicity options as much as possible, and when spraying, make sure to spray evenly to avoid missing any spots.
The above is an introduction to the control methods for mango scale insects. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.