Population dynamics of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer in Kerala, India

Abstract

The history of the invasion of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer of Kerala, India dates back to the early 1990s and within no time the pest took a toll on coconut farming and dependent industries of this state. The coconut trees as well as the economy of Kerala suffered a serious setback over the years. The current study evaluated the population dynamics of the mite on Chowghat green dwarf variety of coconut which is highly susceptible to mite infestation. The survey of coconut mite population was carried out on the Calicut University campus and surrounding areas from 2016-2018. The population density of the mite was estimated by counting the number of mites in the meristematic zone of the infested nuts at biweekly intervals. A seasonal fluctuation in the population density was observed as a normal trend annually with higher density during January to May and lower density during the period of June to August. Furthermore, an overall decline in the population density was recorded during the rainy season of the study period.

Keywords

• Chowghat green dwarf,Aceria guerreronis,economic loss,seasonal fluctuation

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