Bitterroot Restoration

The shoot gall psylla (Apsylla cistallata) is very serious pest of mango. Infestation of this pest results in formation of green conical galls in leaf axis. The pest becomes active from the month if August and galls dry after emergence of adults in the month of march. The eggs are laid in the midrib as well as on lateral axis of new leaves in March/April, nymphs emerges during August/September and feeds on adjacent buds which later turn in to hard green conical gall. Galls are more prominent during September/October and infested plants usually devoid of flowers and fruits.

Eggs are white while nymphs are flat and of pale yellow in colour. Adults are 3-4 mm long with black head and thorax and light brown abdomen. Female lays approx. 150 eggs during March-April and nymphs pass the winter inside the galls. There is only one generation of the pest in a year.

Control :

• The galls with nymphs inside should be collected and destroyed to prevent carryover of the pest.
• The pest can effectively be controlled by spraying Monocrotophos (0.05%) or Dimethoate (0.06%) or Quinalphos (0.05 %) at 2 week intervals starting from the middle of August.
• The use of same chemical for every spray should be avoided.
• Cultural control practice of removal of eggs bearing leaves from a shoot resulted in 95.57 percent decrease in number of shoot galls over control.