Papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is native to Mexico. It was first described by Williams and Granara de Willink in 1992 from specimens collected on cassava. It was first reported as a pest of papaya in St. Martin Island in the Caribbean in1995 and by 2000 it had spread to 13 countries in the Caribbean, Florida in the U.S. and three countries each in Central and South America. In early 2002, it was observed in the island of Guam in the Pacific and subsequently in Palau in 2003, Hawaiian Islands (Maui, 2004, Oahu, 2005, Hawaii, 2006) and Tinian in the Mariana Islands (2005).
While visiting the Bogor, Indonesia Botanical Gardens on May 29, 2008, the IPM CRSP team consisting of Robert Hedlund, R. Muniappan, Mike Hammig, Merle Shepard, Gerry Carner and Aunu Rauf collected specimens of a mealybug infesting a papaya tree. Gillian Watson, a specialist of mealybug taxonomy at the California Department of Agriculture, identified it as papaya mealy bug upon examination of specimens preserved in alcohol. This is the first report of occurrence of papaya mealybug in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia.
While visiting Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at Coimbatore on July 10, 2008, one of the partners of the IPM CRSP in India, an entomologist, showed Muniappan some papaya trees infested with mealybug in the campus orchard. Immediately he recognized it as papaya mealybug and also got it confirmed by Gillian Watson. This is the first report of the papaya mealybug in India and South Asia Adult females of this mealybug are yellow in color covered by a white waxy secretion and specimens in alcohol turn bluish black. This mealybug has a wide host range of over 60 species of plants including cassava, papaya, beans, eggplant, melons, hisbiscus, plumeria, pepper, sweet potato, tomato, citrus, mango and sour sop. On papaya plants the mealybug infests all parts of the young leaves and fruits, and mostly along the veins and midrib of the older leaves. Young leaves become crinkly and older leaves will turn yellow and dry up prematurely. Terminal shoots become bunchy and distorted. Affected trees will start to drop flowers and young fruits. Honey dew produced by the mealybug will turn into a thick sooty mold growth on all affected plants. High mealybug populations can kill the papaya plants.
Currently scientists at the Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia are conducting surveys to assess the extent of spread of this mealybug, its associated natural enemies and the plant species infested by it. An entomophagous fungus was observed in one of the samples of the mealybug collected at the Botanical Gardens.
The accidental introduction of the papaya mealybug to Indonesia and India will likely result in a serious economic threat to the agricultural industry as it attacks and destroys fruit and vegetable crops as well as ornamental plants unless adequate control tactics are implemented.
While visiting Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at Coimbatore on July 10, 2008, one of the partners of the IPM CRSP in India, an entomologist, showed Muniappan some papaya trees infested with mealybug in the campus orchard. Immediately he recognized it as papaya mealybug and also got it confirmed by Gillian Watson. This is the first report of the papaya mealybug in India and South Asia Adult females of this mealybug are yellow in color covered by a white waxy secretion and specimens in alcohol turn bluish black. This mealybug has a wide host range of over 60 species of plants including cassava, papaya, beans, eggplant, melons, hisbiscus, plumeria, pepper, sweet potato, tomato, citrus, mango and sour sop. On papaya plants the mealybug infests all parts of the young leaves and fruits, and mostly along the veins and midrib of the older leaves. Young leaves become crinkly and older leaves will turn yellow and dry up prematurely. Terminal shoots become bunchy and distorted. Affected trees will start to drop flowers and young fruits. Honey dew produced by the mealybug will turn into a thick sooty mold growth on all affected plants. High mealybug populations can kill the papaya plants.
Currently scientists at the Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia are conducting surveys to assess the extent of spread of this mealybug, its associated natural enemies and the plant species infested by it. An entomophagous fungus was observed in one of the samples of the mealybug collected at the Botanical Gardens.
The accidental introduction of the papaya mealybug to Indonesia and India will likely result in a serious economic threat to the agricultural industry as it attacks and destroys fruit and vegetable crops as well as ornamental plants unless adequate control tactics are implemented.
The USDA/APHIS developed a biological control program to tackle this pest when it became a threat to the horticultural industry in Florida, and identified three parasitoids which are being reared in Puerto Rico in order to supply to the countries in need. This biological control program has been successfully implemented in Florida, Caribbean Islands, countries in South America, Guam and Palau. Currently it is being implemented in the Hawaiian Islands and Tinian in the Mariana Islands. The Indian government is considering importing these natural enemies for release in Tamil Nadu.
It is possible that the papaya mealybug might have established in other countries in South and Southeast Asia. It would be advisable for scientists in the countries of these regions to look out for the incidence of this invasive pest.
It is possible that the papaya mealybug might have established in other countries in South and Southeast Asia. It would be advisable for scientists in the countries of these regions to look out for the incidence of this invasive pest.
