Symptoms of damage The burrowing rats burrow down to the bole of the palms and make cavities into the hole Feed the sweet inner cabbage portion. No external symptoms - entire meristematic region is devoured. Suddenly the leaves look wilted or dried and death o

Symptoms of damage It is found to infest oil palm fruits throughout the year. Management of Avian pests Bunch covering Covering the fruit bunch with suitable low cost material is the simplest and effective method Twenty two gauge galvanized iron wire mesh (60

Mites: Tetranychus piercei Symptoms of damage Mites suck the sap from the leaves. Attacked leaves - discoloured and look speckeld. Nursery and young palms are severely disrupted. Management Application of dicifol 2ml/lit or wettable sulphur 2g/lit. Mites suck

Nettle caterpillar: Thosea andamanica Symptoms of damage Nettle caterpillars - stinging spines which can cause nettle rash on contact with the skin. Caterpillars feed on the leaves Infestation – mostly occur in outer whorl of fronds and middle whorl of fronds.

Mealy bugs: Dymicoccus brevipes Symptoms of damage Mealy bugs infest the spear leaves of oil palm seedlings in the nursery and main field Yellowing of young leaves and stunted growth of palms. It is also infests the unripe and ripe oil palm fruits pre anthesis

attractants such as coconut toddy, macerated grapes, cashew apple, pineapple and molasses

Adult beetles bore into the palms and chew the tender tissues Spindle to break and droop. Entry holes - presence of chewed-up tissues. Infested leaves - shortened, broken and distorted. Fruits - the upper portion of the bunch get underdeveloped and dried. Dama

Nursery insect pests Spindle bug: Carvalhoia arecae Symptoms of damage Spindle bug - generally noticed in nursery seedlings and field planted young seedlings. Adults and nymphs of spindle bug live in the innermost two to three leaf axils. Suck sap from the spi