Fruit nut weevil
Mango nut weevil is commonly known as the mango seed weevil, mango stone weevil that damages fruit while passing through pulp and infesting the seed/stone. Dark weevils after emergence remain inactive, hidden in the cracks and crevices on the trunk. During fruit formation and growth stages, adult weevils lays eggs and after hatching, the Grub makes zigzag tunnels in pulp, eats unripe tissue and bore into cotyledons. A full grown grub is legless, fleshly and yellow with dark head. Adult weevil is dark brown in colour, measures 6–10 mm in length and 4 mm in width with a short snout.
Problem Category: Fungal disease
Symptoms: Fruit dropping at marble stage due to oviposition injuries and tunnelled cotyledons in mature fruit by grubs. The fruit borer causes rotting inside of the fruit and causes damage to the fruit.
Comments:
Management: After the fruit is harvested, removing and burning the dry branches and twigs of the mango tree every year can reduce the infestation of this insect to a large extent.
Control: When the fruit is the size of a ball, spray 5% neem seed kernel extract or neemastra twice at an interval of 10 days. • Place lamp traps here and there in the gardens and light small fires at night to destroy the queen bees.
