Coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer, new to coconut plantation in North Sulawesi, Indonesia
MELDY L.A. HOSANG AND CHANDRA INDRAWANTO
Indonesian Palm Crop Research Institute, P.O. Box 1004 Manado 59001, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) is one of the most destructive pests of coconut in India and Sri Lanka, but has not previously been reported in coconut palm in Indonesia. However, the pest was recently found at Winuri Village, East Likupang District, North Minahasa Regency and some villages of Bitung, North Sulawesi. The objective of this study were to confirm the previous report by identifying the mite and determining the level of coconut damage in the field. The research was conducted in North Minahasa and Bitung Regencies, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia and in the laboratory of Entomology and Phytopathology, Indonesian Palm Crops Research Institute from October to December 2012. At each location 5 to 10 mature palms of 20 to 40 years old were randomly selected. Samples of infested female flowers, and nuts were taken by climbing the palm and the level of damages were estimated in the laboratory. Coconut production of the infested palms were determined by climbing the palm and counting the nuts per bunch. The results confirmed that coconut palm in North Minahasa regency and Bitung City have been infested by coconut mite A. guerreronis. The percentage of A. guerreronis infestation in the coconuts from North Minahasa and Bitung regencies varied between 50.00 to 87.67% and between 45.71 - 89.29%, respectively. Factors contributing to the spread of the invasive pest to North Sulawesi, Indonesia, and effective management techniques are needed to be studied in order to prevent further spread to other coconut plantations in Indonesia, and other countries.
Key words: coconut, new pest, mite, Aceria guerreronis
*) Entomology 2014, the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Entomologycal Sociaty of America in Portland, Oregon, November 16-19, 2014.
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