A mealybug species was reported infesting a large number of plant species in Colombo and Gampaha districts in Sri Lanka for the first time in July 2008 by Extension Officers of the Department of Agriculture. The pest was observed to spread rapidly and occurred in large colonies on all aerial plant parts, including leaves and fruits, destroying many plants including papaw and Plumeria (temple trees). This mealybug species, which had not been recorded from Sri Lanka before, posed a great threat to commercial papaw plantations in Sri Lanka spanning approximately 6,200ha. The plantations produce 25,000t of fruit per annum (Anon 2009). The area affected by this invasive pest includes several of the districts where the greatest quantities of papaw are grown. The Horticultural Crops Research and Development Institute and the Plant Protection Service of the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Provincial Departments of Agriculture, initiated a comprehensive program to control the pest and prevent it from spreading to other areas. For present study, the study area was confined to Colombo, Gampaha, Matale, Kandy, Kurunegala and Kegalle districts. This paper summarizes the information collected on the identity, host plants, distribution and damage caused by the mealybug,
An island-wide survey of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) conducted in 2008/09 helped identify two species of Rastrococcus from Sri Lanka. R. invadens Williams was identified from samples collected on Plumeria sp. and Ficus arnottiana, while R. rubellus Williams was found on Plumeria sp. Although R. invadens has been recorded in Sri Lanka before, this is the first record of the oriental mealybug, R. rubellus, from the country. R. rubellus was found in mixed colonies with R. invadens; so far, the infestations have not been associated with any severe crop losses. The survey revealed that R. rubellus is confined to a limited area in Colombo District. This restricted distribution suggested that it may be a new introduction to the country. Diagnostic characters to aid recognition of R. rubellus, and details of its distribution and host range within Sri Lanka are given.
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