This ultimate guide on how to get rid of mealy bug will help you to save your plants from mealy bugs pest infestation. Learn to get rid of mealy bug by using step by step guided methods.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Mealy bugs are one of the hazardous pest that can destroy your plant very fast. Controlling mealy bugs hence become very necessary. You must have noticed wingless white insects in your plants that spreads very fast on the stem.
Mealybugs on plants lay eggs and multiplies by affecting the growth of your plants. In fruit trees like mango this pest is known to cause serious damage. Mealy bugs are also vector of several plant diseases.
In India and all over Asia most of the farmers or gardeners face problem of the pest infestation in mango, citrus trees, hibiscus, sugar canes, grapes, pineapples, papaya, mulberry, gardenia, sunflower, orchids, coffee tree, cassava, cacti, etc.
READ MORE: WAYS TO GET RID FROM ANTS
READ MORE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HIBISCUS FLOWER
Symptoms Of Mealy Bugs
They feed on the stem part where the leaf meets the stem to suck the plant sap that contains sugary plant juices and causes wilting, stunting, defoliation, and chlorosis. Other symptoms include yellowing of leaves. They spread from stems to beneath leaf sheath on the nodes.
If you observe whitish to pinkish powdery mould appearance beneath the leaf sheath nodes that is spreading on the stem then it is the sign of mealy bug attack on your plant.
How To Get Rid Of Mealy Bug?
You can get rid of mealy bug by cultural, physical, organic and chemical methods. However, I prefer to try these methods in sequence. In which I prefer trying inorganic control method at last.
Cultural Method
Always try to grow resistant variety plant in your field. Avoid water logging in the field or pot. Adopt best irrigation method for the crop. In case of growing in pot avoid over watering.
You can also introduce lady bugs in your field or garden. They feed on mealy bugs and reduces their population.
Physical Method
Do not use nitrogen rich fertilizers in excess. You can also clean the infected area with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol. This practice can easily solve the problem. During early stages of infection it is better to remove the infected parts.
Ignoring pests infestation can lead to bigger problems. And I see most of the people complaining that within one day my plant got ruined from pests. But it doesn’t happen that way. You need to keep checking your gorgeous plants time to time.
This practice alone can help you in identifying any abnormal changes during early stages of infestation. And believe me, you will not only find this as a fun activity but also for becoming healthy. Gardening is also a form of exercise.
Organic Method
For controlling this pest through organic method you will need spray bottle, water and kerosene oil that are easily available.
Add 4 drops of kerosene oil in 500 ml of water in the spray bottle and mix it well and leave it for 12 hours. After 12 hours, shake the mixture again and spray on the infected parts of the plant in the evening and you will notice the pest falling apart immediately.
Caution: Do not apply excess of kerosene oil, only 4 drops in 500 ml water and 5 to 6 drops in 1 Litre water. Excess of Kerosene oil can harm your plants. It is advised to perform a patch test before applying the solution in all plants.
There is one more method for organic control of this pest. For this method you will need Spray bottle, herbal shampoo and water.
Mix 3 ml of herbal shampoo in 1 litre water and shake it well to mix the mixture thoroughly. Spray this shampoo water mix on the infected plants in the late evening. This will surely help you to control the pest.
You can also spray neem oil in your plants to control this pest organically, neem oil spray is a wonder medicine for many type of pest and diseases in plants. But before using neem oil spray or any organic spray, try physical control methods.
After that try any of the following organic methods. This will be effective in controlling mealy bugs in your plants. To learn how to prepare and use neem oil spray, you must visit this link:
READ MORE: HOW TO PREPARE AND USE NEEM OIL SPRAY
My Experience
Organic sprays sometimes can take time to work completely, in case of severe damage keep spraying in late evenings after every three days.
Observation is a necessary step if you want to make your plants happy, keep observing the effects of the control methods applied after every one or two day. Chemical Method
Chemical Method
You can spray methyl parathion 50 EC 1000 ml / hectare on the stem of the infected plants.
In case of severe infection spray dimethoate 30 EC @1 ml per litre diluted with fish oil resin soap @ 2.5 ml per litre on the plant.
Author’s Note
I guess after reading this article you will be able to get rid of mealy bug very easily. If you have any ideas, suggestions, and queries then tell me by commenting below. You can also connect with Agriculture Review on Facebook, Instagram, and Koo.
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We have a grape plant ,from last 2 year plants are infected by mealybug, in fruit season it was infected very high .
I will try ur method , any suggestions from ur side (share Instagram id )
Hi Chandru,
I am really feeling sad for your grape plant infested with mealy bugs. But I will suggest to try these methods one by one, especially organic method needs to be practiced frequently to control mealy bugs. Make sure to perform patch test on leaves before spraying on complete plant. For better and effective results you can prepare and use neemastra organic pesticide.
I hope this will help in controlling mealy bugs infestation on your grape plant. Agriculture Review also has an Instagram page with this username @agriculturereview.
Very lucid and systematic explanation. I am sure it will solve the problem. I just want you add that anyone growing plants needs to be vigilant to identify the presence mealy bugs. If you see ants moving swiftly on your plants you must look at the young nodes and tips of the plants. In the beginning pressure spray of water may help. Another important is presence of weeds. You may take care of your cultivated plants. But weeds or unattended plants in the garden can be the source of frequent infestation.