Cotton Mealybug (Solenopsis Mealybug)

📖 Description

Cotton Mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis) is an invasive pest native to the Americas that entered India in the mid-2000s and rapidly became one of the most destructive pests of cotton across the Indian subcontinent, particularly severe in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The pest polyphagously attacks over 200 plant species including cotton, vegetables, ornamentals and weeds. Outbreaks are favoured by warm dry weather, excessive nitrogen and misuse of broad-spectrum insecticides that kill natural enemies. The classical biological control agent Aenasius arizonensis (a parasitic wasp introduced from the Americas) has provided excellent suppression in many areas — when broad-spectrum insecticides are avoided, parasitism rates can reach 60-80%, keeping populations below economic threshold. Ant control is critical — ants tend mealybugs for honeydew and actively protect them from natural enemies. Weed management around fields is essential — wild hosts (Sida, Abutilon, Parthenium, Conyza) serve as reservoirs that allow populations to build up between cropping cycles. IPM with Aenasius releases, conservation of native predators (Cryptolaemus, Scymnus), and reduced insecticide use provides effective and sustainable control.