The pest you're referring to seems to cause significant damage to palms, especially in coastal and backwater areas of certain regions in India.
Geographical Distribution: The pest affects palms in coastal and backwater areas, as well as some internal pockets of the Indian peninsula.
Seasonal Occurrence: The pest is active throughout the year but shows a peak in population during the summer months, particularly from March to May.
Damage: It causes severe damage to palms, which can impact their health and productivity. Specific symptoms and management strategies would depend on the particular pest species involved.
To effectively manage this pest, it's crucial to implement integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that may include biological control, cultural practices, and possibly targeted chemical treatments during peak infestation periods. Monitoring the pest population and understanding its life cycle can also aid in developing effective control measures.
Symptoms of Damage
The coconut trees of all ages are under attack. Dried-up patches appear on the leaflets of the lower leaves, leaving only three or four of the youngest leaves at the center green. Silk galleries and frass can be found on the underside of the leaflets. In severe cases of infestation, the entire plantation takes on a scorched appearance.
Identification of the Pest:
Larva: Caterpillar is greenish brown with dark brown head and prothorax, and a reddish mesothorax. It has brown stripes on the body.
Pupa: It pupates inside the web itself in a thin silken cocoon
Adult Moth: Greyish white in colour
Female: with long antenna and three faint spots on the forewings
Male: with fringed hairs in hind wings in apical and anal margin.
Management
Cultural Method
As a prophylactic measure, the first affected leaves may be cut and burnt during the beginning of the summer season.
Chemical Method
When infestation is very severe in young palms and if the biocontrol is not likely to be effective, spray the undersurface of the fronds with dichlorvos 0.02% (Dichlorovos 100EC), malathion 50 EC 0.05% (1 ml/lt), quinalphos 0.05%, phosalone 0.05%.
Biological Method
Among the larval parasitoids, Goniozus nephantidis (also known as Elasmus nephantidis, the brown species) and Brachymeria nosatoi from KAU are highly effective in controlling the pest. The optimal release ratio is 1 parasitoid to 8 pests. For best results, release the parasitoids at a rate of 3000 per hectare under coconut trees when the pests are in their 2nd or 3rd larval stage. Use a parasitoid release trap at feeding sites for effective deployment. Avoid releasing parasitoids in the crown region where predators like spiders and reduviid bugs can kill them; instead, release them three weeks after any chemical sprays.Periodically release larval (Bethylid, Braconid, and Ichneumonid) and pupal (Eulophid) parasitoids and predators from January onwards to prevent pest build-up during summer.
