Background:

Mealybugs are the emerging major insect pests that cause very serious damage by sucking the plant sap and eventually lead to complete death of the plant. Mealybugs also transmit viral diseases in banana, cacao, pepper and other crops. Besides direct and indirect damage to crops, mealybugs are also of quarantine concern, adding to costs of production to prevent or eliminate their presence on plants and produce, Paracoccus marginatusan invasive species has devastated the entire papaya industry and affected other crops like tapioca, cotton, mulberry, sunflower, guava, jatropha, redgram, brinjal, tomato, and many other crops including weeds in Coimbatore Tamil Nadu. Right now insecticides are the only answer to manage them since effective biocontrol agents are not available resulting unwanted and overuse of insecticides which ultimately lead to pollution and elimination of natural enemies and finally results in development of insecticide resistance. Now insecticides are not found to be effective and solve the menace. Hence this proposal has been developed to mass multiply the effective parasitoids viz., Acerophagus papayae, imported from Puerto Rico, by NBAII (ICAR), Bengaluru and field release them in a larger  scale in order to minimize the use of insecticides, thereby increasing the income of the farmer and conserving the biodiversity and agro ecosystem.

Project rationale

Mealybugs are causing severe damage resulting in partial to complete yield reduction in many crops and it is essential to minimize the damage thereby to prevent yield loss. Right now damage is severe in cotton, mulberry, papaya, guava, tapioca, jatropha, vegetables (Tomato, Brinjal, Bhendi), fruits (Mango, Citrus, Sapota, Banana, Jack), flower crops (Hibiscus, Crotons, Nerium). The strategies demonstrated / developed will not only reduce the population of mealybug but also protect the environment from pollution which is caused due to indiscriminate and unwanted repeated use of insecticides for the management of mealybugs. It also helps to reduce the cost of application and encourages the natural enemy activity there by farmers income will be enhanced without affecting agro-ecosystem in Tamil Nadu.

Project strategy:

The management of the mealybugs will be initiated from the off-season by recording the insects and natural enemies in weeds and other volunteer plants and burning them without further spread during off season. Crops like tapioca, mulberry, cotton, papaya, sunflower, select vegetable (tomato,), fruit crops (like guava, mango and sapota), flowers (Hibiscus, Nerium, Crotons), tree crops (Teak & Tecoma stans) and on jatropha; will be monitored regularly for the presence of mealybugs from the early stage. Large scale mass production of the imported parasitoid, A. papayae will be carried in 56 locations and field release will be made in farmer’s field to contain this pest.  The target will be covered in all districts of Tamil Nadu using the plant protection scientists from seven colleges, 35 research stations and 14 KVKs. Demonstrations will be held with the help of all these centres in the respective districts. Awareness campaign will be organized to the extension functionaries, (district level), progressive farmers at taluk level and demonstrations at few strategic places on crops like cotton, papaya, sunflower and vegetables. Training will be given to all scientists at regular intervals and continuous monitoring will be done by TNAU main campus. Extension materials like posters, booklets, CD’s, pamphlets, and other audio visual aids will be prepared by TNAU, Coimbatore.

Project Goal:

 To mass multiply and field release of parasitoid, A. papayae for the management of papaya mealybug in different crops of Tamil Nadu.

Project components

i. Surveillance

• Mass production of the encyrtid parasitoid, Acerophagus papayae, ( 57 locations) and field release
• To undertake impact assessment study in released area

Justification

• Mass culturing of parasitoids  can be done in 56 locations with minimum facilities
• Non recurring is essential to study the morphological variations and for making drawing and measurement

Measurable outcome

The mealybug will be managed effectively within six months without affecting the environment .In addition to area of release the parasitoids will effect their potency in neighbouring area. Indiscriminate use of insecticides will be avoided.

Contact:

Director,
Centre for Plant Protection Studies
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Coimbatore – 641 003
Phone: 0422-6611237 0422-6611437
Fax: 0422-6611437
E-mail: directorcpps@tnau.ac.in