Delottococcus aberiae is a widespread invasive mealybug native to South Africa. It reaches high population levels and causes severe distortion and size reduction in developing fruits (Picture 1).
Solution
Combining different methodologies, such as precautionary measures, application of plant protection products, an attract-and-kill system with sexual pheromone, physical barriers against ants and the release of predators, may help control mealybug.
Description
The effective combination of several control measures can help reduce the population year after year.
Practical recommendation
• Precautionary measures: Winter pruning to aerate the tree helps to reduce pest levels.
• Attract-and-kill system with sexual pheromone is a new method, and we recommend combining it with other measures until the D. aberiare population decreases. The dose is 450 devices/ha. Commercial pheromones have a shelf life of 13 months (Picture 3). Pheromones are also recommended to monitor the presence of the pest with traps set up in the orchard.
• Release of the predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri: (Picture 2)
• There are no effective plant protection products to control this pest. Azadirachtin and paraffinic oils are used, mainly from April to June, but their efficacy is medium to low and insufficient to control this pest.
• Ants protect this mealybug from its natural enemies and help its dispersal. The use of physical barriers on the trunk, such as tree gum, is recommended to interfere with their access to the canopy (Picture 4).
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