30 Aug Management of tea mosquito bugs in cashew
काजू में चाय मच्छर कीड़े का प्रबंधन Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L., Family: Anacardiaceae) is one of the important commercial plantation crops in India. Insect pest infestation is a major production constraint in cashew cultivation. Tea mosquito bugs (TMB)– Helopeltis spp (Miridae: Heteroptera), are most serious insect pest of cashew in India and causes more economic loss to the crop. There are four species of TMB viz., Helopeltis antonii, H. bradyi, H. theivora and Pachypeltis maesarum (Hemiptera: Miridae) were found to infest in cashew. The mirid bug H. antonii is the dominant species and has been found infesting in all major cashew growing regions of India followed by H.bradyi and H. theivora. It causes damage to an extent of 30-50% yield loss. Symptoms of damage Both nymphs and adults suck the cell sap from tender shoots, leaves, floral branches, developing nuts, fruit peduncle and apples. Formation of necrotic lesion on green tender stem of young shoots and inflorescence rachis are the characteristic damage symptoms. The lesions on shoots and panicles join together and finally the affected shoot dries up. The immature nuts infested by this pest develop characteristic eruptive spots and finally shrivel and fall off. Under outbreak conditions, heavily infested trees show scorched appearance, leading to the death of shoots and growing tips. Severely affected branches may lead to...