Mango
Leaf Twisting Weevil
Apoderus tranquebaricus
Insect
5 mins to read
In a Nutshell
- Twisting, rolling and drying of terminal leaves.
Can also be found in
Mango
Symptoms
When trees are affected, their leaves begin to twist from the tip, making them look twisted. This twisting happens because of an adult weevil. The weevil cuts and shapes the mango leaves, making them roll up neatly like thimbles. These rolled leaves stay connected to the main leaves. Inside these rolled leaves, the weevil's young grub feeds on the leaf's tissue.
Recommendations
Organic Control
This is a minor pest of mango. Manual removal of damaged leaves is the best practice to follow.
Chemical Control
Always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological/environment friendly treatments. The insect in small population will cause no significant damage to your tree. According to literature, in big infestations, insecticides like monocrotophos can minimize the damage.
What caused it?
The damage to mango trees is caused by a pest called the Mango Leaf Twisting Weevil. This pest exists in both the nursery and the main field. It also affects other plants like Jamun, Amaranthus, Jack Fruit, Cashew, Teak, Guava, and Neem. Recently, it has been observed in Almond trees as well, in the year 2023. The life cycle of this pest includes different stages: eggs, five larval instars in the grub stage, pupa, and adult. The adult lays eggs one by one in the outer part of the twisted leaves. The female weevil secretes a sticky substance that helps the eggs stick to the leaf surface. The eggs have a shiny yellow color. The grub, which is the young and immature form of the weevil, is yellowish in color. It feeds on the tissue inside the rolled leaves, causing damage to the affected leaves. The adult weevil is reddish brown and has a long snout. It cuts and twists the mango leaves into rolls. These rolled leaves stay attached to the main leaves. Warmer temperatures, more rain, and higher humidity make it more likely for the leaf twsiting weevil to infest mango trees.
Preventive Measures
- Monitor for symptoms.
- In case of infestation, manually remove damaged leaves.
- Search for the grubs inside and crush them.
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