Vol. 11, Issue 8 (2022)

Author(s):
KM Patel, Dr. Abhishek Shukla, Dr. AT Patel and Dr. SR Patel

Abstract:
Sapota, Manilkara achras (Mill.) Fosberg is an important tropical fruit crop of South Gujarat. Among the various factors affecting the yield and quality of fruit crops, the damage caused by insect pests is considered as a major constraint. The economic value of sapota fruits have been affected by Tuckerella kumaonensis Gupta (Tuckerellidae: Acari).Thisstudy was conducted to overcome the problem of fruit mite in a comprehensive manner. The results of the present investigation revealed that per cent infestation of sapota fruit mite was 63.53±6.53 per cent in nine villages of three talukas in Navsari districts of South Gujarat area with randomly selected eighteen sapota orchards during the survey work. The population of sapota fruit mite was 2.85±0.46 mites per 2 cm² area, while predatory mite, Octobdellodes sp. was 1.09±0.28 mites per fruit surface. The highest per cent infestation of sapota fruit mite was observed in Gandevi taluka (Av. 68.91±5.40%) followed by Navsari (Av. 65.05±3.48%) and Jalalpore (Av. 56.64±3.38%). While, the highest population of sapota fruit mite was observed in Gandevi taluka (3.27±0.52 mites/2 cm² area of fruit surface) while the maximum population of predatory mite was 1.32±0.19 mites per fruit surface.