Soft scale Pulvinaria iceryi Signoret (Homoptera: Coccidae): an important pest of sugarcane in Mauritius
| MSI07P4243 | |
| Ganeshan, S. | |
| Soft scale Pulvinaria iceryi Signoret (Homoptera: Coccidae): an important pest of sugarcane in Mauritius | |
| VIth ISSCT Entomology Workshop: Advances and Challenges in Sugar Cane Pest Management, 14-20 May 2006, Cairns, Australia | |
| paper presented | |
| 2006 | |
| En | |
| En | |
| The soft scale, Pulvinaria iceryi Signoret (Homoptera: Coccidae), has been recorded from Mauritius, Réunion, Agalèga, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zambia and Uganda. A severe outbreak occurred in Mauritius in 1976-77 when more than 4200 ha were infested causing an estimated loss of about 20000 tonnes of sugar. Many fields were destroyed and had to be replanted during that outbreak. Severe infestation was seldom observed after that. However, since 1997 localised severe infestations have been recurring in many fields every year. In 2005, more than 600 ha were infested leading to an estimated loss of more than 2000 tonnes of sugar. The insect lives on green plant tissues. Infestation in sugarcane causes reduction or stoppage of growth, purple or yellow discolouration of leaves and their premature death. The entire cane stool may also die when infestation is severe. Plants, which survive attack, remain weak and may die later or fail to ratoon after harvest. Up to 69 percent reduction in IRSC and 34 per cent in juice purity was noted in severely infested canes. Plant injury is due to the removal of sap and also to the injection of toxic saliva into the plant. T he insect excretes copious amounts of honeydew, which attract ants and enables a black mould to spread on the foliage. Satisfactory natural control is normally exerted by several species of parasitoids and predators. The vital importance of these is such that use of insecticides against the pest cannot be contemplated. The management of this pest relies essentially on measures that favour development and survival of its natural enemies. | |
| sugarcane pest control pests insect pests Pulvinaria iceryi | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Pests, pest control and management | |
| Insect pests: Pulvinaria iceryi | |
| 2007-02-23 | |
| En | |
| LST | |
| Ento |