Mangoes are nutritive delicious crops but easily affected by pests such as seed weevil. The timely control improves on quality production.
Mango seed weevil damage pulp and seed causing pre mature fruit drop. Life of a mango seed weevil: Adults weevils are dark brown to greyish black enabling them to live at the bark of tree during fruiting season. They only feed on mangoes and can live for long without feeding. Adults move to tree canopies for mating and laying eggs which hatch into larvae 3 -4 days after these penetrate into seed to develop into adult which leave the seed and hide in loose tree bark, fallen leaves and dead trees.
Weevil traps
Always be vigilant to easily identify the pests in the orchard and use stick bands which traps mango seed weevil in. Also spray insecticides however these affect both the farmer and beneficial insects in the orchard. Promote weaver ants in orchard to feed on seed weevils and burn marigold, tithonia leaves to produce smoke that scare away the seed weevil.
Use good farming practices such as destroying dropped fruits, burying fruits at least at 50cm deep to kill emerging adult weevils. Finally collect fallen fruits at least once a week and prune the trees to reduce on humid environment that encourage the development of mango seed weevils.
