Morphometric characterization of Rastrococcus invadens on four varieties of mango trees (Pout, Thies)

Rastrococcus invadens (Homoptera, Pseudococcidae) or mealybug is an insect pest of mango and several other fruit trees including citrus. The cochineal is native to Southeast Asia and was first identified in Senegal in Dakar in 1995. Since then, it has been widely distributed throughout the country and more particularly in the two most fruit-producing areas: Casamance and Thies. To properly conduct our study, we chose the four most infested mango varieties namely Kent, Keitt, Sewe and Boukodiekhal. All these populations are from the locality of Pout (Thies region). On each plant we collected 10 people. This allowed us to have a total of 40 individuals. The individuals harvested are coded according to the zone and the type of plant in which they were harvested. This study revealed almost two more or less distinct morphometric groups made up on the one hand by populations from improved varieties (Kent and Keitt) and on the other by those from local varieties (Sewe and Boukodiekhal).

Preliminary inventory of scale insects on mango trees in Benin

A preliminary inventory of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) developing on the mango tree is presented for Northern and Central Benin. The following species, Gigantococcus euphorbiae, Gigantococcus nigroareolatus, Ceroplastes uapacae, Parasaissetia nigra, Saissetia privigna, Udinia catori, Ferrisia virgata, Paracoccus interceptus, Phenacoccus solenopsis, Rastrococcus invadens, Aonidiella orientalis and Lepidosaphes tapleyi, were collected from 2005 to 2007 in mango orchards in the Sudanian area of Benin, on branches, leaves, and particularly on mango petioles and fruits. Nine of these species are recorded for the first time in Benin while P. interceptus is recorded in Africa for the first time. Only two, R. invadens and A. orientalis, of the 12 species are considered as mango pests.