Aphids, Pentalonianigronervosa f. typica

Nature of Damage Identification of Pest Cultural Control

• The nymphs and adults congregate under the outer base of the pseudostem
• Aphids always accompanied by ants, which act as dispersing agents of nymph
• Honey dew secretion appears on the plants which attracts the ants
• The aphids suck the sap of the plant and reduce the growth and vigour
• They also act as a vector of Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)

The aphids are persistent vectors of bunchy top disease in banana. The aphids congregate below the leaf base and their direct damage is fairly less. Severe infestation results in progressive leaf dwarfing and curling reduced bunch size and distorted fruits.

Management:

Ensure clean cultivation — Use healthy and pest free Tissue Culture Plants — Rogue out the affected plants — Immersing flowers and foliage in hot water at 49 degrees centigrade for 10 minutes kills banana aphids. — Destruction of weeds and alternate hosts.

1. Rogue out the virus-affected plants before spraying.

2. Spray Dimethoate 30 EC@ 2ml/l or Oxy-demeton methyl 25 EC @ 2ml/l at first sign of attack.

3. Spray soapy water or insecticidal soap on plants thoroughly on petioles, furled leaves, whorls or on young suckers

4. Spray Dimethoate (75ml/100lit) or Diazinon (1.5ml/lit) or Acephate (1.3g/lit) on infested plants.

5. Spray Methyl Demeton 25 EC 0.05% or Monocrotophos 36 SL0.072%

6. Inject Monocrotophos 36 SL1 ml/plant (1ml diluted in 4 ml of water).

7. Avoid injection of Monocrotophos after flowering

8. Apply bio control agents like entomopathognic fungus, Beauveria bassiana in the banana fields

Nymph : Oval or slightly elongated, reddish brown with six segmented antennae.

Adult : Small to medium sized aphids, shiny, reddish to dark brown or almost black. They have six segmented antennae and prominent dark veins. Adults start producing young aphids one day after reaching maturity. They can give birth to 4 aphids per day with an average production of 14 offspring per female.