CORIED BUG

CLASSIFICATION

Distribution: In India coastal areas of Trivandrum, Wynad and Kasaragod districts of Kerala.

Main Host: Coconut

Alternate Host: tamarind, cashew, cocoa, and guava

Occurrence: post monsoon period

Life Cycle: The adults are brown colored measuring 2 cm in size. The life cycle is completed in a month's time.

Damage:

The adults and nymphs feed by desapping the contents on button and developing nuts below the perianth region. The feeding points later develop to brownish necrotic lesions, which later turn to furrows or cracks. The symptoms are easily identified by cracks and gummosis. Severe damage leads to nutfall and malformation of mature nuts.. The shedding or the nut retention is related to the depth of stylet entry and the amount of toxic saliva injected into it.

Management:

•  Spraying tender bunches with 0.1% carbaryl at 45 days interval is found to be effective.