Toxicity of Some Insecticides to Control Mango Mealy Bug, Drosicha mangiferae, a Serious Pest of Mango in Pakistan

Mango mealy bug, Drosicha mangiferae, is one of the most serious insect pests of mango because it reduces the plant vigor by sucking the sap from inflorescence, tender leaves, shoots and fruit peduncles. To control this pest, insecticides of different groups were evaluated in both the laboratory and field conditions. In laboratory conditions profenofos showed maximum percent mortality of 93.3% and 86.67% of the 1 st and 2 nd instar mango mealy bug. While triazophos proved to be an effective insecticide for the control of the 4 th instar by showing 64.0 and 100% mortality in leaf dip method and foliar application. Out of seven insecticidal band applications tested in the field conditions, the combination of cotton + buprofezin proved effective by manifesting 99.10% control of mango mealy bug. The present study has shown that the insecticides tested, especially profenofos, methomyl and triazophos, and cotton + buprofezin band application provided effective control of the mango mealy bug. The control of this insect pest throughout the orchards predominantly depends on judicious use of chemicals like profenofos, triazophos, methomyl, acetamiprid, buprofezin and deltamethrin, for the development of an integrated pest management strategy.