1. The document discusses three main insect pests that affect coconut: termites, coconut mites, and slug caterpillars. 2. Termites damage young seedlings and base of trunks. Coconut mites cause yellow patches and cracks on coconut husks, reducing copra content. Slug caterpillars defoliate coconut leaves, especially in heavy infestations. 3. Management strategies include cultural controls like removing termite mounds, applying fertilizers and organic matter. Chemical controls involve spraying insecticides like carbaryl, dichlorvos, and neem oil formulations. Mechanical methods also help, such as using light traps against slug caterpillar moths.

1. INDIRA GANDHI KRISHI VISHWAVIDALAYA
Assignment on :
Insect pest of coconut
Course name – Insect Pest of Fruit,Plantatoin, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops
Course code – HENT - 5221
Course credit – 3(2+1)
Session – 2021-22
Teksingh chandravanshi
B.sc agriculture
S.K. COLLEGEOF AGRICULTURE& RESEARCHSTATIONKAWARDHA(C.G)

2. Insect pests of coconut and
their management

3. Insect pest of coconut
S.N. Insect pest Scientific name family order
1. Termites Odontotermes obesus Termitidae Isoptera
2. Coconut Eriophyid Aceriaguerreonis Eriophyidae Acarina
mite
3. Slug caterpillar Limacodidae Limacodidae Lepidoptera

4. 1. Termites
Scientific Name :- Odontotermes obesus
Family :- Termitidae
Order :- Isoptera

5. Distribution
Termites are found on all continents except Antarctica. The
diversity of termite species is low in North America and Europe
(10 species known in Europe and 50 in North America), but is
high in South America, where over 400 species are known.[39] Of
the 3,000 termite species currently classified, 1,000 are found in
Africa.

6. Damage symptom
 Termites are likely to cause damage to transplanted seedlings
particularly in the earlier stage. (wilting of seedlings).
 Base of trunks plastered with runways made of soil and fibers.

7. Identification of the pest
 Adults:Cream coloured, tiny insect resembling ants with dark
coloured head.
Management
Cultural Method
 Locate termite mounds in or near the coconut nursery or garden
and destroy.
 Adoption of field sanitation by disposal of organic matter in
nursery soil and covering germinating nuts with a layer of river
sand.

8. Chemical Method
 Spray Copper Sulphate 1% or Cashew Nut Shell oil 80% or spray
Chlorpyriphos @ 3ml/lit of water, Neem Oil 5% or NSKE 20% to
preserve plaited coconut leaves from the termite attack
 .Apply calcium at the base of the trunk for control of termite
attack.
 Swabbing with neem oil 5% once on the base and upto 2 m
height of the trunk for effective control.

9. 5. Coconut mite
Scientific Name :- Aceriaguerreonis
Family :- Eriophyidae
Order : Acarina

10. Distribution
 Aceria guerreronis was first described by Hartford H Keifer in
1965 from Mexico, but it is unclear whether it originated from the
Old or New World. The coconut palm originated in the South
Pacific region and spread along the coasts of Asia, and later
Africa. It was introduced into the Americas by traders in the
sixteenth century, but whether the mite moved with it or arrived in
some other way is not known. The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)
is the only known host, apart from a single record in South
America of it occurring on Lytocaryum weddellianum, a related
species of palm.[3] More recently, it has also been reported on
Borassus flabellifer and Syagrus romanzoffiana.

11. Damage symptom
• Triangular pale or yellow patches close to perianth.
• Necrotic tissues.
• Brown colour patches, longitudinal fissures and splits on the
husk.
• Oozing of the gummy exudation from the affected surface.
• Reduced size and copra content.
• Malformed nut with cracks and hardened husk.

12. Identification of the pest
 Nymph and Adult-Pale in colour with elongate
body and worm like appearance.

13. Management
•Apply urea 1.3kg,superphosphate 2.0 and muriate of
potash 3.5 kg/palm/ year.
•Neem cake @ 5kg and organic manure 50kg/palm/year.

14. 3. Slug caterpillar
Scientific name : Limacodidae
Family : Limacodida
Order : Lepidoptera

15. Symptoms of Damage
 The larvae is the destructive stage if the pest. The young
larvae feed on the lower epidermis of the leaf. As they
mature, the whole leaf blade is eaten leaving the midribs.
In heavy infestation, the larvae may defoliate the palm.
Symptom Adult

16. Identification of the Pest
 Egg: Flat shiny eggs on the under surface of leaves
 Larva: Greenish body with white lines and four rows of spiny scoli
tipped red or black, which cause irritation and pain
 Pupa: It pupates in a compact elliptical chocolate brown shell like
cocoon, which is convex above and flat ventrally as stems. Cocoons
are covered with irritating spines and hairs
 Adult: Adult moth has green wings with prominent dark patch at
the base of each forewing.

17. Management
Chemical Method:
• Collect and destroy the immature stages of the insects by
conducting study (or neem campaign) wherever possible
and spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 gm/lit .
• Spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 g/l.
• Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 2 ml / lit.
Mechanical Method:
• Set up light traps to trap and collect adult moths. About 5
light traps may be installed per hectare.

18. References
 Broschat, T. K. & Crane, J. H. (2011). The Coconut Palm in Florida. University
of Florida IFAS Extension. Available at:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG04300.pdf. [Accessed 13 November
14]. Free to access. CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2014). Cocos
nucifera datasheet. Available at:
http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/11788. [Accessed 13 November 14].
Paid subscription required. Chan, E. & Elevitch, C. R. (2006). Cocos nucifera
(coconut). Species profiles for Pacific Agroforestry. Traditional Tree
Initiative. Available at: http://www.agroforestry.net/images/pdfs/Cocos-
coconut.pdf. [Accessed 13 November 14]. Paid subscription required. Duke,
J. A. (1983). Cocos nucifera L.. Handbook of Energy Crops. Available at
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Cocos_nucifera.html#C
ultivation. [Accessed 13 November 14]. Free to access. Elliott, M. L.,
Broschat, T. K., Uchida, J. Y. & Simone, G. W. (2004). Compendium of
Ornamental Palm Disease and Disorders. American Phytopathological
Society Press. Available at:
http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/43143.aspx.
Available for purchase from APS Press.

19. THANKS FOR
ATTENTION