The attack intensity of Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on papaya

Abstract

The mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus is one of the important insect pests in papaya (Carica papaya L.). The high potential for damage caused by this pest poses a threat to the production of papaya in Indonesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of P. marginatus attack on papaya by observing variables such as plant varieties, planting seasons and cultivation methods. The area of observation plots was about 2.000 m2. The cultivation technique applied was monoculture with a spacing of 2.5 m x 2.5 m. Thirty plots of plants were collected from each plot of plants using diagonal sampling technique. The total number of leaves and the number of leaves attacked were recorded. Damage intensity was determined based on the category: no attack (score 0), mild 1-25% (score 1), moderate 26-50% (score 2), severe 51-75% (score 3), and very severe 76-100% (score 4). The attack intensity was higher in the dry season than rainy season. The results show that attack was higher in the dry season that rainy season. The intensity of the attack was also higher in Thai varieties both in the rainy and dry seasons. More intensive pest control shall be applied in the dry season and in the introduced varieties.