Abstract
The cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), an invasive pest species, has appeared on a large scale on cotton in India since 2006. Its distribution within the plant, and associated yield losses in cotton, were studied over 2 years. Distribution of P. solenopsis was observed within the cotton plant from vegetative to boll formation stage. In the vegetative and square formation stages, the highest mealybug population was recorded on the upper portion of the stem, followed by the middle leaves of the plant. In the boll formation stage, there was no significant difference in distribution of the insect among plant parts. Losses in cotton due to the mealybug varied between 14.9% at Grade 1 and 53.6% at Grade 4, on a 0 to 4 severity index, with a mean reduction of 35% and 32%, during 2008 and 2009, respectively. There was a significant relationship between severity of infestation and decrease in seed cotton yield. The information generated from this study will help in the early detection of mealybug infestation and estimation of yield losses corresponding to the severity grade of the damage.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbas, G., Arif, M. J., & Saeed, S. (2005). Systematic status of a new species of the genus Phenacoccus Cockerell (Pseudococcidae), a serious pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. in Pakistan. Pakistan Entomology, 27, 83–84.
Addis, T., Azerefegne, F., & Blomma, G. (2008). Density and distribution of enset root mealybugs on enset. African Crop Science Journal, 16, 67–74.
Akintola, A. J., & Ande, A. T. (2008). First record of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Nigeria. Agriculture Journal, 3, 1–3.
Charleston, K., Addison, S., Miles, M., & Maas, S. (2010). The solenopsis mealybug outbreak in Emerald. The Australian Cotton Grower, 31, 18–22.
Clearwater, J. (2000). The ecology of mealybugs in Gisborne vineyards. Clearwater, FL, USA: Clearwater Research and Consulting.
Culik, M. P., & Gullan, P. J. (2005). A new pest of tomato and other records of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from Espirito Santo, Brazil. Zootaxa, 964, 1–8.
Flaherty, D. L., Christensen, L. P., & Lanini, W. T. (1992). Mealybugs. In D. L. Flaherty, L. P. Christensen, W. T. Lanini, J. J. Maoris, P. A. Philips, L. T. Wilson, et al. (Eds.), Grape pest management (pp. 159–165). University of California, Davis, CA, USA: Division of Agriculture and Natural Resource Publications.
Geiger, C. A., & Daane, K. M. (2001). Seasonal movement and sampling of the grape mealybug, Pseudococcus martimus (Ehrhorn) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) in San Joaquin Valley vineyards. Journal of Economic Entomology, 94, 291–301.
Geiger, C. A., Daane, K. M., Bentley, W. J., Yokota, G. Y., & Martin, L. A. (2001). Sampling program for grape mealybug improves pest management. California Agriculture, 55, 19-27.
Granara de Willink, M. C. (2003). New records and host plants of Phenacoccus for Argentina (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina, 62, 80–82.
Grasswitz, T. R., & James, D. G. (2008). Movement of grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus on and between host plants. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 129, 265–275.
Hara, A. H., Nino-Duponte, R. Y., & Jacobsen, C. M. (2001). Root mealybugs of quarantine significance in Hawaii. Manoa: Cooperative Extension Service, CTAHR, University of Hawaii. IP-6.
Hodgson, C., Abbas, G., Arif, M. J., Saeed, S., & Karar, H. (2008). Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae), an invasive mealybug damaging cotton in Pakistan and India, with a discussion on seasonal morphological variation. Zootaxa, 1913, 1–35.
ICAC Recorder. (2008). Mealybug: a new threat to cotton production in Pakistan and India. International Cotton Advisory Committee. The ICAC Recorder, 26, 15.
Jhala, R. C., Bharpoda, T. M., & Patel, M. G. (2008). Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), the mealybug species recorded first time on cotton and its alternate host plants in Gujarat, India. Uttar Pradesh Journal of Zoology, 28, 403–406.
Kaydan, M. B., Çaliskan, A. F., & Ulusoy, M. R. (2013). New record of invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Turkey. OEPP/EPPO Bulletin, 43, 169–171.
Kumashiro, B. R., Heu, R. A., Nishida, G. M., & Beardsley, J. W. (2001). New state records of immigrant insects in the Hawaiian islands for the year 1999. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society, 35, 170–184.
Larrain, S. P. (2002). Insect and mite pest incidence on sweet pepinos, Solanum muricatum (Ait.) cultivated in the IV Region, Chile. Agricultura Técnica, 62, 15–26.
McLeod, P., Javier, D., Vasguez, L., & Johnson, D. T. (2002). Within plant distribution and sampling of mealybugs in plantain var. FHIA 21. Tropical Agriculture, 79, 150–153.
Monga, D., Kumar, R., Pal, V., & Jat, M. C. (2009). Mealybug, a new pest of cotton crop in Haryana: A survey. Journal of Insect Science, 22, 100–103.
Muhammad, A. (2007). Mealybug: cotton crop’s worst catastrophe. Published by the Centre for Agro-Informatics Research (CAIR), Pakistan, in October 2007; available on-line at http://agroict.org/adss/MealyBug_Report.aspx.
Nagrare, V. S., Kranthi, S., Biradar, V. K., Zade, N. N., Sangode, V., Kakde, G., et al. (2009). Widespread infestation of the exotic mealybug species, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), on cotton in India. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 99, 537–541.
Nestel, D., Cohen, H., Saphir, N., Klein, M., & Mendel, Z. (1995). Spatial distributions of scale insects: comparative study using Taylor’s power law. Environmental Entomology, 24, 506–512.
Prishanthini, M., & Laxmi, V. M. (2009). The Phenococcus solenopsis. Sri Lanka: Department of Zoology, Eastern University. Available on-line at http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/07/01/fea30.asp.
SAS Institute. (2009). PROC user's manual (version 9.2 ed). Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute.
Schulthess, F., Baumgartner, J. U., & Herren, H. R. (1989). Sampling Phenacoccus manihoti in cassava fields in Nigeria. Tropical Pest Management, 35, 193–200.
Stewart, L. (2005). Understanding the biology and improved management of long tailed mealybug in Western Australia. Final report to Grape and Wine Research & Development Corporation, Wine Industry Association, Western Australia.
Wang, Y., Watson, G. W., & Zhang, R. (2010). The potential distribution of an invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis and its threat to cotton in Asia. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 12, 403.
Wang, Y. P., Wu, S. A., & Zhang, R. Z. (2009). Pest risk analysis of a new invasive pest, Phenacoccus solenopsis, to China. Chinese Bulletin of Entomology, 46, 101–106.
Watson, G. W., & Chandler, L. R. (2000). Identification of mealybugs important in the Caribbean region. 2nd ed. (revised). Egham, Surrey, UK: CABI Bioscience.
Wu, S. A., & Zhang, R. Z. (2009). A new invasive pest, Phenacoccus solenopsis threatening seriously to cotton production. (in Chinese; summary in English). Chinese Bulletin of Entomology, 46, 159–162.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge the financial grant provided by World Bank through ICAR, New Delhi to carry out the present study as a part of the National Agricultural Innovation Project at CICR, Regional Station, Sirsa.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kumar, R., Nagrare, V.S., Nitharwal, M. et al. Within-plant distribution of an invasive mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, and associated losses in cotton. Phytoparasitica 42, 311–316 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-013-0361-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-013-0361-6