Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) species on economically important fruit crops in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In recent years, mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) have become an important pest of fruit crops in Sri Lanka due to their accidental introductions and invasiveness. Awareness, early detection of invasive species and immediate implementation of control methods could minimize the economic losses caused by them. A survey was conducted during the period 2011-2013 to identify the mealybug species found in fruit crops, and document the distribution and the host range of fruit crops for each species. Eleven mealybug species belonging to seven genera were identified. Among them, Planococcus lilacinus (Cockerell) and Rastrococcus invadens (Williams) were the dominant species and both were highly polyphagous. Other species collected were Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell), D. neobrevipes (Beardsley), Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), Paracoccus marginatus (Williams and Granara de Willink), P. citri (Risso), P. minor (Maskell), Pseudococcus cryptus (Hempel) and R. iceryoides (Green). The taxonomy, distribution and fruit crop host ranges of the recorded species were documented and their pest status on fruit crops was discussed. An identification key to mealybug species in fruit crops in Sri Lanka was developed together with a pictorial guide for the species collected in the survey.