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Rastrococcus invadens Williams (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), a serious exotic pest of fruit trees and other plants in West Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

D. Agounké ,
U. Agricola  and
H. A. Bokonon-Ganta
D. Agounké
Affiliation:
Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, B. P. 1263, Cacaveli, LoméTogo
U. Agricola
Affiliation:
Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, B. P. 1263, Cacaveli, LoméTogo
H. A. Bokonon-Ganta
Affiliation:
Département de l'Agriculture, Service de la Protection des Végétaux, B. P. 58, Porto-Novo, Benin
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Abstract

Rastrococcus invadens Williams has been the most important polyphagous pest of horticultural crops since 1982 in some West African countries. It originated in South-East Asia and was probably introduced on infested plant material. The pest has been reported up to 150 km north of the coast of Benin and 500 km north from the coast in Togo. Although the species is polyphagous, mango, citrus, breadfruit, banana, frangipani (Plumeria alba) and species of Ficus are among the most attacked hosts. Several indigenous natural enemies were identified, but their ability to regulate the populations of R. invadens is very low. The most important among the predators were the coccinellids Chilocorus nigrita (F.), Exochomus promtus Weise and E. troberti Mulsant and the lycaenids Spalgis spp. In Togo, an indigenous parasitoid, Anagyrus sp. ?nr aurantifrons Compere, has become adapted to the pest.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 78 , Issue 4 , December 1988 , pp. 695 - 702
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

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