Mango Pests and Diseases and Their Management: A Complete Guide for Farmers
Mango (Mangifera indica L.), the “King of Fruits,” is cultivated extensively in India and other tropical regions. Despite its economic importance, mango cultivation faces major threats from pests and diseases that significantly reduce yield, affect fruit quality, and lead to financial losses. Effective management requires understanding the biology of pests and pathogens, timely monitoring, and integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) strategies.
This guide provides an in-depth overview of key mango pests, major diseases, and modern management approaches, including cultural, biological, chemical, and organic solutions.
Major Pests of Mango
1. Mango Hoppers (Idioscopus spp.)
Biology & Life Cycle:
- Mango hoppers are small, wedge-shaped insects that feed on tender shoots, leaves, and inflorescences.
- Both nymphs and adults suck sap, weakening the plant.
- Life cycle: Egg → Nymph (5 instars) → Adult; one generation takes about 25–30 days.
Damage:
- Suck sap from panicles → panicle drying and flower drop
- Secretion of honeydew → black sooty mold formation on flowers and fruits
- Reduced fruit set and yield
Symptoms:
- Sticky deposits on inflorescences
- Brown-black sooty coating
- Withered and stunted panicles
Management:
- Cultural: Regular pruning for better air circulation, removal of weeds, avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer.
- Biological: Release predators such as Chrysoperla carnea (green lacewing) and spiders.
- Chemical:
- Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @ 0.3 ml/L or
- Thiamethoxam 25% WG @ 0.25 g/L during flowering
- Organic: Neem-based sprays (Azadirachtin 1500 ppm, 3% solution) reduce hopper population and honeydew secretion.
2. Mango Fruit Fly (Bactrocera dorsalis)
Biology:
- Adult flies lay eggs in maturing fruits.
- Larvae feed on pulp → fruit decay.
- Life cycle: Egg → Larva (3 instars) → Pupa → Adult; 25–30 days per generation under favorable conditions.
Damage:
- Larval infestation → fruit becomes soft, rotten, and inedible
- Premature fruit drop → major post-harvest losses
Symptoms:
- Punctured fruits with oozing sap
- Maggots inside fruit pulp
- Rotted or malformed fruits
Management:
- Field Sanitation: Collect and destroy fallen and infested fruits to break life cycle.
- Trapping: Use methyl eugenol-baited pheromone traps, 4–6 traps/acre.
- Soil Management: Plough soil around trees to expose pupae to sunlight.
- Chemical: Protein hydrolysate + Malathion 0.1% as bait spray 15–20 days before harvest.
- Biological Control: Release of parasitoids like Fopius arisanus reduces fruit fly population naturally.
3. Mango Stem Borer (Batocera rufomaculata)
Biology:
- Adult beetles lay eggs on cracks in bark.
- Larvae bore into the trunk and branches, feeding on wood.
- Life cycle can last 1–2 years depending on environmental conditions.
Damage:
- Larval tunneling blocks nutrient and water transport
- Branch drying, gummosis, and tree death in severe cases
Symptoms:
- Sawdust-like frass near entry holes
- Yellowing of leaves and drying branches
- Gummosis around boreholes
Management:
- Mechanical: Remove larvae using hooked wires; seal holes with copper oxychloride paste.
- Cultural: Avoid mechanical injury to trees; maintain orchard hygiene.
- Chemical Preventive: Apply lime + copper sulphate mixture around trunk base to prevent oviposition.
4. Mealy Bugs (Drosicha mangiferae)
Biology:
- Sap-sucking insects with a waxy coating.
- Feed on roots, shoots, and fruits.
- Overwinter in soil and emerge during flowering season.
Damage:
- Sap extraction → stunted growth
- Honeydew secretion → sooty mold development
- Curling and drying of young shoots
Symptoms:
- White, cotton-like waxy colonies on branches and fruits
- Leaf curling and premature leaf drop
Management:
- Cultural: Deep ploughing in winter to kill nymphs
- Mechanical: Apply grease bands (25 cm width) on tree trunks before egg hatch
- Chemical:
- Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @ 0.3 ml/L
- Thiacloprid 21.7% SC @ 0.3 ml/L
- Organic: Neem oil 5%, Fish oil rosin soap
5. Mango Leaf Webber (Orthaga exvinace)
Biology:
- Caterpillars feed inside webbed leaves
- Life cycle: Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult moth
Damage:
- Larvae feed on leaves → reduce photosynthesis
- Weakens tree and affects flowering
Management:
- Cultural: Collect and destroy infested leaves
- Biological: Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 50,000/acre
- Chemical: Lambda-cyhalothrin 5% EC @ 1 ml/L
Major Diseases of Mango
1. Powdery Mildew (Oidium mangiferae)
Favourable Conditions: Cool, dry weather during flowering
Symptoms:
- White powdery growth on young leaves, flowers, and fruits
- Flower drop and reduced fruit set
- Distorted young shoots
Management:
- Cultural: Avoid dense planting; improve air circulation
- Chemical: Wettable Sulphur 0.2%, Hexaconazole 0.1%
- Organic: Sulphur dusting or neem-based fungicides
2. Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)
Biology: Fungal pathogen infects leaves, flowers, twigs, and fruits
Symptoms:
- Dark brown/black spots on leaves and fruits
- Sunken lesions on fruits → fruit rot
- Premature leaf and flower drop
Management:
- Field Sanitation: Remove infected leaves and twigs
- Chemical: Carbendazim 0.1% or Propiconazole 0.1% during flowering and fruiting
- Post-Harvest: Hot water treatment (52 degree centigrades for 10 min) reduce infection.
3. Bacterial Canker (Xanthomonas campestris pv. mangiferaeindicae)
Symptoms:
- Angular water-soaked leaf spots turning brown
- Gummosis on branches
- Black lesions on fruits
Management:
- Pruning: Remove affected branches and disinfect pruning tools
- Spray: Copper oxychloride 0.3% or Streptocycline 200 ppm + Copper oxychloride alternately
- Resistant Varieties: ‘Neelum’, ‘Totapuri’
4. Dieback (Botryodiplodia theobromae)
Symptoms:
- Drying of terminal shoots and branches
- Gum oozing at infection sites
- Premature leaf fall
Management:
- Sanitation: Cut infected branches and apply Bordeaux paste
- Chemical: Carbendazim 0.1% or Copper oxychloride 0.3% sprays
Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM)
An integrated approach combining cultural, mechanical, biological, chemical, and organic methods ensures long-term orchard health:
|
Management Type |
Practices |
|
Cultural |
Pruning, sanitation, balanced fertilization, weed control |
|
Mechanical |
Pheromone traps, sticky traps, grease bands, collection of infested fruits |
|
Biological |
Predators (Chrysoperla), parasitoids (Trichogramma), beneficial microbes (Trichoderma, Beauveria) |
|
Chemical |
Judicious use of recommended pesticides and fungicides |
|
Organic Inputs |
Neem oil, Azadirachtin, bio-fertilizers, plant extracts |
Conclusion
Mango pests and diseases can significantly impact yield and profitability. By combining timely monitoring, IPDM practices, and judicious use of modern inputs, farmers can maintain healthy orchards, improve fruit quality, and achieve sustainable, high-yield mango production.
Key Takeaways:
- Monitor regularly for early pest/disease signs.
- Maintain orchard sanitation and proper pruning.
- Use integrated chemical, biological, and organic methods.
- Apply appropriate fertilizers and micronutrients for tree vigor.
- Prefer resistant varieties where available.
Sustainable mango farming is achievable with a strategic mix of knowledge, observation, and scientific management.