Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems

Studies were conducted at Navsari Agricultural University (NAU), Navsari during May, 2022 to April, 2023 to study the Arthropods infesting mango in nursery under humid tropics. Results revealed that total thirty-one insect-pests damaging mango mother plants in nursery. Twelve leaf eating caterpillars or defoliator viz., leaf- webber, common baron, leaf miner, tussock hairy caterpillar, flush caterpillar, lymantrid caterpillar, slug caterpillar, looper, leaf- roller, leaf cutter, yellow tail moth, and different grasshopper spp. were found damaging new young leaves and shoots. Three shoot damaging insect pests viz., shoot borer, stem miner, and shoot midge were observed. Thirteen sucking insect-pests viz., mango hoppers, thrips, plant hopper, leaf gall midges, mealybugs and scales; three leaf defoliating beetles and weevils viz., the leaf cutting weevil, grey or ash weevil and leaf beetle were observed infesting mango plants in nursery. Pest calendar was also prepared based on their period of activity throughout the year.