Mango stem borer
Mango stem borer is a major pest in India, is identified by large (50-60 mm), brownish-grey, long-horned beetles that lay eggs in bark crevices. Grubs are the damaging stage of insect, creamy white, legless, and found tunnelling in the sapwood, causing severe internal damage.
Problem Category: Bacterial Disease
Symptoms: This insect is usually found in old orchards and neglected orchards. Its larvae eat the stem and branches. As a result, the trees become weak. Key symptoms include drying of terminal shoot in early stage, holes in the trunk/branches, oozing sap, and sawdust-like frass accumulating at the base, leading to yellowing leaves, drying branches, and tree death.
Comments:
Management: • Remove completely dry trees and branches from time to time and keep the field clean. • Remove alternate host, silk cotton and other hosts • Grow tolerant mango varieties viz., Neelam, Humayudin.
Control: • The insects that have made holes in the tree should be removed with a thin knife or using a thick wire hook. They should be destroyed. • Clean the waste materials around the hole well, put cotton soaked in neem oil in the holes and cover it with clay soil.
