Introduction

The spice nutmeg has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm slightly sweet taste; it is used to flavour many kinds of baked goods, confections, puddings, potatoes, meats, sausages, sauces, vegetables, and such beverages as eggnog. The fleshy arils surrounding the nutmeg seed are the source of the spice mace.

Common Pest of nutmeg

Scale insects

Among the scale insects infesting nutmeg, 

The black scale (Saissetia nigra) (Hemiptera: Coccidae)

White scale (Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

Shield scale, Protupulvinaria mangiferae (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are important.

Identification

The white scale is grayish white, flat and shaped like a fish scale and measures about 2.25 x 1.5 mm in size.

The white scale occurs clustered together on the lower surface of leaves especially in nursery seedlings.

The pest infestation results in yellow streaks and spots on affected leaves and in severe infestations the leaves wilt.

Shield scale-creamy brown, oval occurs on tender leaves and stems in nursery seedling,- wilting of leaves and shoots

Damage 

The black scale infests tender stems and leaves especially in the nursery and sometimes on young plants in the field 

The scales are seen clustered together and are black, oval and dome shaped. 

They feed on plant sap and severe infestations cause the shoots to wilt and the plants present a sickly appearance.

Infested shoot invariably develop sooty mould cover.

Management

Scales insects are sporadic pests on nutmeg can be controlled by spraying with pymetrozine 50 WG @ 0.6g/L or flonicamid 50 WG @ 0.3g/L can be effective.

Conclusion

Very few insects have been recorded on nutmeg in field in India; however, a few species of scale insects infest seedlings in the nursery and sometimes young plants in the field. We can control them by using IPM.

FAQs

Which are the pest of nutmeg ?

Scale insect

How scale insect damage nutmeg?

Infested like sooty mould cover

At which stage of nutmeg the scale insects attack?

At nursery stage