Insect Pests:
1. Shoot Gall Caterpillar {Betonsa stytophora)
Young caterpillars bore in to the apical apportion of the shoot during rainy season and make tunnel Due to this damaged region bulges, out abruptly into a gall which provides space for movement of the caterpillar. Due to this, apical growth is checked, side shoots develop below the galls and subsequent growth in following season is greatly hampered.
Control:
This can be controlled by cutting of the. affected parts and spraying of 2 % Parathion.
2. Bark Eating Caterpillar (Inderbela tetraonis ) :
This insect is the problem of neglected orchards. It damages stem and branches of grownup trees by eating bark.
Control:
The pest can;be controlled by spraying 0.03 % endrin or enjecting kerosene oil petrol in the holes and plugging them with cotton or wet soil during Sept. – Oct. and Feb. – March.
3. Leaf Rolling Caterpillar (Garcillaria Acidula) :
This caterpillar rolls the leaf and feed inside reducing the photosynthetic capcity of leaves and causes subsequent leaf shedding.
Control:
It can be controlled by spraying 0.08% Malathion or 0.04% Monocrotophos.
4. Mealy bug (Nipaecoccus vastator) :
Both nymphs and adults are feed on Aonla tree from April to November.
Control:
Organophosphate provide excellent control of this pest. Monocrotophos 0.04% or Malathion 0.08% or Methyl Parathion 0.03% are effective as sprays.
Diseases:
1. Ring Rust or Aonla Rust (Ravenelia Emblicae) :
Ring rust appears as circular or semi-circular, reddish solitary or greagarious spots on leaves from the beginning of August. Infection on fruits follow. Generally one or two pustules measuring 10 to 20 mm in diameter appear on infected fruit.
Control:
Spraying with Dithane Z -78 at 0.2% at the interval of 7 to 28 days during the months of July to September proves effective.
2. Fruit Rot (Penicillium oxalicum; P. islandicum) :
The major loss takes place during transit to the market. The earliest symptom of infection is seen as water soaked lesion on the fruit surface, which enlarges in size followed by development of small pin head size colonies of golden yellow colour. The older colonies turn olive green.
Control:
It is recommended that fruits showing such symptoms are discarded for marketing. Burising and injury at the time of harvesting should be avoided. Treatment of fruits with borax and NaCl to control diseases.
Physiological Disorder:
1. Internal Fruit Necrosis:
In this disorder necrosis symptoms starts with the browning of inner most part of the mesocrpic tissues, at the time of endocarp hardening in the second and third week of September. Browning of of mesocarp extends towards the eptearp into brownish black areas on the fruit surface in the second and third week of October. Depending upon the severity of the disorder, mesocarp of affected fruit turns black and become corky and gummy pockets develop.
Control:
This disorder is due to the deficiency of boron for which spray of 0.6% borax thrice in the month of September and October at about 10 to 15 days interval are recommended to control the disorder.
