LEAFHOPPER IS one of the important pests of mango. Mango leafhoppers are monophagous, that is, they attack only mango crops.
There are three species of leafhoppers noticed, namely, Idioscopus clypealis, Amritodus atkinsoni and Idioscopus niveosparsus.
Among them the third one causes maximum damage to mango. Adult female lays single eggs during Jan to March months by making tiny slits in the tissue of flowering shoot, flower buds and tender leaves.
Damage symptoms
Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the tender leaves, which results in withering and shedding of flower buds and flowers.
Apart from sucking the sap, they secrete a honey-dew like substance which falls on the leaves and results in growth of black sooty mould which hinders the photosynthetic activity of the plant. In Karnataka this symptom is popularly called as `Joni roga.'
Control measures
— Avoiding water logged or damp condition in the garden and avoiding close planting.
— Spraying of carbaryl 50 WP at 4g/lt or malathion 50 EC at 2 ml/lit at the panicle emergence and when the fruits are at marble stage. If necessary the spraying may be repeated.
— In recent years, new molecules such as imidacloprid 17.8 SL at 0.5 ml/lit or thiamethoxam 25 WG at 0.25 g/lit or Lamda-cyhalothrin 5 per cent EC at 0.5 ml/lit were found to be highly effective and economical.
— Close planting with limted space results in high humid condition and favours the pest build-up.
RAJANIKANTHA. R, PATIL. B. V & HOSAMANI. A. C.
Department of Agricultural Entomology
College of Agriculture, Raichur, Karnataka
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