PAPAYA - Tropical Fruits - page 320

Table 11.7. Some important insects and pests of papaya.
Common name Scienti fi c name Parts affected Distribution

Melon fl y Fruit Widespread

Dacus cucurbitae

Oriental fruit fl y Fruit South-east Asia,

Philippines, Western
Paci fi c, Hawaii

Dacus dorsalis

Fruit Cook Islands, South

Paci fi c

Dacus melanotus

Mediterranean fruit
fl y

Fruit Hawaii, Mexico,

Central, South
America, Middle
East, Africa

Ceratitis capitata

Fruit fl y Fruit American tropics,

Florida

Toxotrypana
curvicauda

American fruit fl y Fruit Subtropical, tropical

America

Anastrepha
fraterculus

Caribbean fruit fl y Fruit Florida, Caribbean

Anastrepha
suspensa

Green peach aphid Virus vector Widespread

Myzus persicae

Red and black fl at
mite

Fruit Widespread

Brevipalus
phoenicis

Broad mite Emerging leaves,

leaves of young
seedlings

Widespread

Hemitarsonemus
latus

Carmine mite Lower surface of

mature leaves

Widespread

Tetranychus
cinnabarinus

Texas citrus mite Mature leaves Widespread

Eutetranychus
banksi

Mature leaves Thailand

Eutetranychus
orientalis

Citrus red mite Mature leaves Widespread

Panonychus citri

Monkeys Kenya, Barbados

Birds Four species Caribbean, Hawaii

Bats Vanuatu, South Paci fi c

on the supple young leaves and shoot and provide the infection site for the
invasion by the saprophytic fungus C. oxysporum .
There are three species of scale insects known to infest papaya in Malaysia
but only two, i.e. the palm scale, Aspidiotus orientalis , and the oriental scale,
Aonidiella orientalis , are economically important. A. orientalis is considered the
most destructive. Both the nymph and adult feed on the leaf, stem and fruit.
A. orientalis is only found on the fruit and seldom on other parts of the plant.