Introduction

Pomegranates, with their jewel-like seeds and vibrant flavor, are prized fruits known for their rich antioxidants and health benefits. However, cultivating these beauties comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to pest management. From aphids and fruit borers to fungal diseases, pomegranate orchards require careful attention and effective strategies to ensure healthy yields. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the various pests that threaten pomegranate crops, explore integrated pest management techniques, and offer practical solutions to safeguard your orchard's productivity and health.

Anar butterfly: Deudorix (Virachola) isocrates

Symptoms of damage

Caterpillar bores into young fruits

Feeds on internal contents (pulp and seeds)

Fruit rotting and dropping

Identification of pest

Larvae - dark brown, short and stout, covered with short hairs

Adult - bluish brown butterfly

Female – V shaped patch on forewing

Management

Collect and destroy damaged fruits

Clean cultivation as weed plants serve as alternate hosts

Endemic areas - grow less susceptible varieties

Adopt ETL (5 eggs/plant)

Cover the fruit with polythene bags when the fruits are up to 5 cm

Use light trap @ 1/ ha to monitor the activity of adults

Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 0.1% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06%, two rounds, one at flower formation and next at fruit set.

Flowering stage - spray NSKE 5% or neem formulations 2 ml/1

Apply dimethoate 30 EC 1.5 ml/1.

Release Trichogramma chilonis at one lakh/acre.

Fruit borer: Conogethes punctiferalis

Symptoms of damage

Caterpillar bores into young fruits

Feeds on internal contents (pulp and seeds)

Dry up and fall off in without ripening

Identification of pest

Larva: Pale greenish with pink tinge and fine hairs with dark head and prothoracic shield.

Adult: Yellowish moth with black spots on the wing and body

Management

Collect and destroy damaged fruits

Clean cultivation as weed plants serve as alternate hosts

Use light trap @ 1/ ha to monitor the activity of adults

Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 0.1% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06%, two rounds, one at flower formation and next at fruit set

Tailed mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata

Symptoms of damage

Premature dropping of fruit.

Identification of pest

Nymph: Yellowish to pale white.

Adult: Females apterous, long, slender covered with white waxy secretions, pair wax filaments at caudal end.

Management

Collect and destroy the infested plant parts

Remove alternate hosts

Triozhophos 2 ml+ neem oil 5 ml/1, phosalone 35 EC 1.5 ml+ neem oil 5 ml/1.

Spray methyl demeton 25 EC or monoccrotophos 36 WSC 2ml/lit

Spray application of dichlorovas 76 WSC 1ml/lit + fish oil rosin soap 25 g/lit

Release Cryptolaemous montrouzieri beetles @ 10/tree.

Summary

Pomegranate growers, watch out! Devious pests threaten your harvest. The Anar butterfly, a villain with a bluish-brown disguise, lays eggs that hatch into caterpillars. These ravenous creatures burrow into young fruits, leaving them to rot and fall. The fruit borer, another culprit, follows a similar path of destruction. But don't despair! Fight back with a multi-pronged approach. Cleanliness is key: remove damaged fruits and weeds that harbor these pests. Light traps help monitor their activity. If necessary, use targeted insecticides or eco-friendly neem oil sprays. The tailed mealybug, with its waxy white coat, also targets fruits. Here, a combination of removing infested parts and introducing beneficial predators like Cryptolaemous beetles can be effective. Remember, vigilance and a strategic defense are your allies in securing a harvest of delicious pomegranates.