Organic FarmingAgroStar Agronomy Centre of Excellence
Australian Lady Bird Beetle ‘Cryptolaemus montrouzieri for Biological Control of Mealybug
Australian Lady Bird Beetle is a common type of multi-crop predator, it found in fruit crops such as Pomegranate, Grapes, guava, Fig, Sapota, as well as in crops such as cotton. Mealy bugs can be easily controlled by biological measures as compared to chemical pesticides. As per these biological factors, the in biological control method predators are have their own importance. Cryptolaemus species mainly controls the species such as Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Ferrisia virgata, Phenococcus solenopsis etc. The use of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, the Australian Lady Bird Beetle, gives proper long-term control.
The adult and grub of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri are feeds on mealybugs.
Care to be taken while leaving Cryptolaemus montrouzieri in fields:
• Cryptolaemus larvae are very soft bodied. While handling with the Cryptolaemus montrouzieri use brush to lift the grubs, release Cryptolaemus grub on mealybug-infested crop where as possible, such as fruits, trunks, branches on the mealybug.
• Release the grubs during the evening hours, possibly.
• Release 5 to 10 grubs or adult of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri per fruit trees.
• There should be enough humidity in the field to release Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and avoid spraying chemical insecticide in field when the Cryptolaemus montrouzieri grubs released in the field.
• The Cryptolaemus montrouzieri should be release twice in a year, when the infestation of mealybug is high.
Source: AgroStar Agronomy CENTRE of Excellence
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