Annona Species Monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

Chapter 10. Agronomy
cycle. Given the importance of these pests in many areas, it is curious that
more complete integrated pest management systems have not been reported.
In Mexico, the insects Biosteres longicaudatus and Aceratoneuromyia indica
have been used for biological control of Annona fruit flies (Rebollar-Alviter
et al., 1997). The use of chemical compounds from seeds or leaves of
Annona trees, such as wild soursop and sugar apple, have also been tested
with some success against fruit flies. Extracts from an infusion of 5% (dry
weight) in water of sugar apple leaves can kill up to 70% of adult fruit flies
when ingested in the laboratory (Catarino and Ezequiel, 1999) - see Chapter
6 on the chemical properties of Annona species.
Mealy bugs, various species of scales or cochineals and spider mites attack
the stems, leaves, flowers and fruits of Annona species in numerous countries
and regions (Table 10-13). They are all considered to be sucking insect pests
and may be considered as economically important, due to their impact when
they suck the sap of the young vegetative parts and fruits of annona trees. An
orchard monitoring system is necessary to detect the phenological phase in
which the attack is occurring at an economic level, so as to make control
more effective. Mealy bugs are reported to be a major pest on marketable
fruits in some areas of Australia and red spider mites can become a serious
problem when attacking growing annona trees in dry areas (Nakasone and
Paull, 1998). In Colombian and Brazilian soursop orchards, these insect pests
have been controlled with mineral oil and systemic insecticides (dimethoate)
(Torres and Sánchez, 1992; Junqueira et al., 1996). It is recommended that
mites be controlled by spraying specific insecticides (propargite) which can
kill the eggs and the adult insects. The insecticide and water mixture needs to
be used with an adherent. The mealy bug Planococcus citri is biologically
controlled by its predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, however, the
predator's action is hindered when there is a large population of the
Argentinean ant, Iridomyrmex humilis (Farré et al., 1999). Control of mealy
bug should focus on biological control where possible, or the use of mineral
oil.
Some minor insect pests also have significant economic importance in some
regions. Aphids can transmit serious viral diseases to annona trees, while
attacks of aphids and hemipterous bugs on fruits can promote irreversible
damage to their quality for market. These insect pests are controlled by
spraying with the pesticides malathion or parathion (Torres and Sánchez,
1992; Junqueira et al., 1996). Aphids and bugs attacking soursop trees have
been controlled efficiently in the Brazilian Cerrados by spraying a 20%
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