Citrus Mealybug Management

2021 August, 28

1. The Citrus mealybugs infestation

Mealybugs are pests that attack many plants. The nymphs and female adults suck on parts such as leaves, branches, fruits, fruit stalks. Especially on citrus trees, mealybugs also attack under the roots, making it difficult to detect and control. Severely infected trees, yellowing and falling leaves, dry and dead branches, fruit may also discolor, develop poorly and fall off. Affect productivity as well as quality of agricultural products.

When stinging, mealybugs also secrete sweet nectar that attracts soot fungus to grow, affecting the photosynthesis of plants, making the quality of agricultural products decrease.

Mealybug can be divided into 2 groups:

The Stick Mealybug group with popular varieties such as Lepidosaphes, Aonidiella, Coccus and Saissetia.
The Cotton Mealybug group with common varieties such as Pseudococcus, Planococcus and Icerya purchasi.

The time to develop for mealybugs is in the dry season, less in the rainy season.

2. Manage Solution

To limit the growth of mealybugs we need to clean the garden and remove the ineffective branches, old branches to create ventilation for the garden. Regularly visit garden, in addition to farming methods we can combine with chemical methods to better manage mealybugs.

Farmers in Lai Vung citrus area are using Taron 50EC product combined with Map Green 6SL to help manage mealybugs highly effectively.

Taron 50EC kills mealybugs by 4 mechanisms: Contact, Stomach action, Systemic action and strong respiratory.
Map Green 6SL with the main ingredient of citrus essential oils to increase permeability, spread and anti-washout extremely well, Map Green 6SL increases the effectiveness of the combination product.

The combination of 2 products Taron 50 EC and Map Green 6SL will help farmers effectively control mealybugs.

With the dosage as follows: 250ml Taron 50 EC + 125ml Map Green 6SL / 200 liters of water, spraying evenly will help to manage mealybugs most effectively.