Tapioca (Manihot esculenta)
Mealy bug (Paracoccus marginatus)
Symptoms
- The pest can be seen in cassava shoot tips, lower surface of leaves and on stems.
- Nymphs and adults sucks the sap from tapioca leaves, petiole and stem
- The affected leaf turns to bunchy top like appearance.
- Length of internode will be reduced.
Management
- Pruning and burning of infested branches.
- Prevention of the movement of ants and destruction of already existing ant colonies.
- Spray Neem oil (30 ml/litre of soap water)
- Field release encyrtid parasitoid (Acerophagus papayae) @ 100 per hamlet.
- Spray Lecanicillium lecanii (synonym Verticillium lecanii) (20 g/litre of water).
Chemical Control
| Sl.No | Generic Name | Trade Name | Color code | Dosage/litre | Knapsack Sprayer (Capacity 10L) | Recommendation | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dosage/acre (200 L) | Dosage/hectare (500 L) | |||||||
| 1 | Malathion 50 EC | Agromala, Agromala Malathion, Celthion, Hilmala, Kthion, Malaacid, Simala Milthion, Tagthion Malamar, Thisol | Blue | 2 ml | Dip the setts | |||
Extremely Toxic
Highly Toxic
Moderately Toxic
