4. Coconut Eriophyid mite: Aceria guerreronis (Eriophyidae : Acari)
Distribution and status  
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra pradesh.  Recently, observed in Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands. Dispersal of mite also occurs through insects, birds, lizards, squirrels and coconut husk. It attained major pest status after the super cyclone in 1998

Bionomics Pale coloured, elongated, worm like mite is very minute in size measuring 200-250 micron length and 36-52 micron in width with two pairs of legs in the anterior end ,head with piercing and sucking mouth parts. Life cycle consists of egg, two larval instars and an adult-stage and is completed in 10-12 days.

Damage symptoms
         The mite infests and develops on the meristematic tissues under the perianth.  Initial symptoms exhibit as triangular pale white or yellow patches close to the perianth. Continuous feeding results in necrosis of tissues leading to formation of brown color patches, longitudinal fissures and splits on the outer surface of the husk; oozing of brown gummy exudation; reduced nut size, copra content and malformation of nuts. 

Click to View More Symptoms Click to View Video

Management
i. Nutrients (per tree / year)
         Urea 1.3 kg, super 2.0 kg, potash 3.5 kg, neem cake 5 kg, borax 50 g, gypsum 1 kg, MgSO4 500 g, FYM 50 kg
ii. Root feeding

1. Root feeding with TNAU - Agro Biocide 30 ml/tree
2. Root feeding with carbosulfan 15 ml + 15 ml water / tree at 45 days interval or fenpyroximate at 10 ml/tree
3. TNAU - Agro biocide - 30 ml/tree - (60 days after Carbosulfan root feeding).

Note: Before root feeding, pluck nuts.  After root feeding, next harvest should be done 45 days later.

iii. Spray -   Fenpyroximate 5 EC 1.0 ml/L of water - Click to View Video