Identifying and managing plant health risks for key African crops: fruit and other tree crops

Publication date: 07/02/2019
Extent: 26 pages

Contributions by: Peter Neuenschwander and Désiré Gnanvossou, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Benin; Stefan Hauser, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria; Georg Goergen, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Benin; Rachid Hanna, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Cameroon; Lindsey Norgrove, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland; and Koffi Negloh and Cyriaque Agboton, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Benin

Chapter synopsis: This chapter reviews control methods for the main pests affecting fruit and other tree crops. It describes the use of classical biological control for mango, papaya, cacao, coconut and citrus. Mango mealybug, Rastrococcus invadens, has been controlled with great success across West and Central Africa by two parasitoids. On papaya, the spiralling whitefly Aleurodicus dispersus has been controlled by two serendipitously introduced parasitoids. Papaya mealybug Paracoccus marginatus from South America was brought under control within one year by another parasitoid. These results were compromised by the invasion of the tropical fruit fly Batrocera dorsalis. The resulting mis-use of pesticides was replaced by bait sprays and parapheromones, a parasitoid introduced in Benin and Cameroon, and management of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda. A new species of phytoseiid mite was introduced against the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis. On cacao, Phythophthora megakarya was controlled by managing shade trees, soil cover, and applying fungicides. Cultural control measures were developed for cashew.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2018.0043.13