Symptoms of damage
- The cell sap is sucked from the leaves - piercing stylet
- Leaf curling
- Leaves fall off immaturely
- Honey dew secrecation development of sooty mould fungus
- Leaf turns to black in colour and affects photosynthetic activity of the leaves
- Affected trees produce - few blossoms which develop into inspid fruits
Identification of pest
- Nymphs: Are flattened, oval in shape and scale like in appearance
- Adult: Minute insect, shiny black with grey dusting on the body. Wings are extending beyond the tip of the abdomen.
Management
- Collect and destroy the damaged plant parts along with nymphs, pupa and adults
- Spray with 2 ml of chloropyriphos per litre of water
- The entire plant canopy should be drenched with the solution.
- Encourage activity of parasitoids, Encarsia sp., Eretomocerus serius and chlysoperla sp
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Black flies on leaf |
Close-up of Black flies |
Black fly on leaves |
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