Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Crops

Post harvest pests

Post harvest pests
Although relatively few post-harvest losses of fresh produce are caused by attacks of insects or other animals, localized attacks by these pests may be serious.

• Insect damage is usually caused by insect larvae burrowing through produce, e.g. fruit fly, stone weevil, sweet potato weevil, potato tuber moth and infestation usually occurs before harvest.
• Rats, mice and other animal pests again are sometimes a problem when produce is stored on the farm.
Almost all post harvest pests originate from field infestations. Wounds and punctures caused by insect pests not only adversely affect visual quality but also serve as entry points for pathogens, leading to secondary infection and spoilage.

Insect pests affecting postharvest quality

Pests	Common name	Common host
Fruit flies
Dacus ciliatus	Lesser pumpkin fly	Cucurbits
D. cucurbitae	Melon fly	Cucurbits and tomato
D.dorsalis	Oriental fruit fly	Most fleshy fruits and vegetables
Mites
Halotydeus destructor	Red legged earth mite	Leafy vegetables
Panonchus ulmi	European red mite	Apple and other deciduous fruits
Phthorimaea operculella	Potato tuber moth	Potato, tomato, brinjal
Mealy bugs
Planococcus citri	Citrus mealy bug	Citrus, grape
Dysmicoccus bevipes	Pineapple mealy bug	Pineapple
Moths
Cydia pomonella	Codling moth	Apple,pear,peach,quince,prunus,walnut
Maruca testulalis	Beam pod borer	Legumes
Scale insect
Aonidiella aurantii	Red scale	Citrus
Lepidosaphes beckii	Purple scale	Citrus
Quadraspidiotus preniciosus	San Jose scale	Deciduous fruits
weevils
Cylas formicarius	Sweet potato weevils	Sweet potato
Sternochaetus mangiferae	Mango seed weevils	Mango