Eriophyes guerreronis
Encyclopedia
The eriophyid
coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis, is a mite
which infests coconut
plantations. It is economically devastating, and can destroy up to 90% of coconut production. The immature nuts are infested and injured by mites feeding in the portion covered by the perianth of the immature nut. Subsequently, the nuts drop off or survive deformed. Spraying with wettable sulfur 0.4% or with neem-based pesticides can give some relief, but is cumbersome and labor-intensive. Research on this topic has produced no truly efficacious results, and researchers from the Kerala Agricultural University and the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasaragode and elsewhere,are still searching for a cure. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kannur under Kerala Agricultural University has developed an innovative extension approach called Compact area group approach (CAGA) to combat coconut mites.
Eriophyid
Eriophyidae is a family of more than 200 genera of mites, which live as plant parasites, commonly causing galls or other damage to the plant tissues and hence known as gall mites. About 3,600 species have been described, but this is probably less than 10% of the actual number existing in this...
coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis, is a mite
Mite
Mites, along with ticks, are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari and the class Arachnida. The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called acarology.-Diversity and systematics:...
which infests coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
plantations. It is economically devastating, and can destroy up to 90% of coconut production. The immature nuts are infested and injured by mites feeding in the portion covered by the perianth of the immature nut. Subsequently, the nuts drop off or survive deformed. Spraying with wettable sulfur 0.4% or with neem-based pesticides can give some relief, but is cumbersome and labor-intensive. Research on this topic has produced no truly efficacious results, and researchers from the Kerala Agricultural University and the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasaragode and elsewhere,are still searching for a cure. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kannur under Kerala Agricultural University has developed an innovative extension approach called Compact area group approach (CAGA) to combat coconut mites.