Mango is known as the king of fruits. It is known from literature that the Vedas and Ramayana showed mango as a well-known fruit during the Vedic and Aryan eras. The first documented presence in the world of the existence of mango is seen in the text of Ludovico di Varthema in Italian language as Manga. This text was later further translated into Latin and post-classical French. Mango has been cultivated in the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years and reached East Asia between the 5th and 4th centuries BC. India is the largest producer of mango in the world, accounting for 52.63% of total production. Mango cultivation accounts for 37.61% of the total fruit cultivation area and 22.21% of the total fruit production in the country. The country produced 10.99 million tonnes of mangoes from an area of ​​1.23 million hectares. The total area under mango cultivation in Bengal is 70,000 80,000 hectares, nearly 44% of the total area under food cultivation in the state. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to FAO statistics, more than 92 countries around the world produce mangoes. India is the largest producer of mangoes, contributing 54.2% of total world production, but its exports hardly exceed 3% of total international demand. The major mango producing regions in India are Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Orissa and Maharashtra. Indian mangoes are unique in taste and aroma as they represent more than a thousand varieties, a diversity that is unmatched by any other national production. Two important causes of the low export share of mangoes in world markets are contamination by insect pests and pesticide residues. Despite the largest mango production base, productivity in our country is quite low. The role of the physicochemical characteristics of mango fruits in regulating the incidence of borer infestation in the several days following fruit set has not been studied so far. Mango, Mangifera indica L, which belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, is one of the most important tropical and subtropical fruits in the world and is appreciated both in its fresh and processed form. It is called the king of fruits due to its nutritional value, taste, attractive aroma and healthful qualities. In Uganda, mango is by far the most common fruit nationwide. They are "voluntary" fruits that grow in all parts of the country as a gift of nature and adapt to all ecological zones of the country, dry or humid, mountainous and lakeside. However, the areas of greatest intensity are those in the relatively hot and dry areas of the northern, northeastern and western Nile. Traditionally in Uganda, mangoes are known to grow wild with little to no cultivation practices. The mango varieties grown are predominantly local. Most landraces are rich in fiber and require less attention in cultivation. The Ugandan government's call for families to produce high-value, marketable crops has, however, led to the introduction of exotic mango varieties into the country. Exotic varieties are of superior quality; they have a higher juice yield, a good flavor and have no filaments; and are more attractive to both the local and international markets. Since their introduction into the country in the late 1980s, exotic mango varieties have spread throughout the mango growing areas of Uganda. Some of the exotic mango varieties grown in the West Nile area of ​​Uganda include; Tommy Atkins, Kent, Haden, Keit, Zillate,Palvin, Palmer, Alphonso and Irwin among others. Pests: Along with limitations such as irregular growth habit, low-yielding varieties and poor nutrition management, this is a high incidence of insect pests and diseases that really reduce productivity. Mangoes are attacked by more than 400 parasites worldwide. Usually, in a particular mango growing area, three or four major pests occur. Among these, mango midges and fruit borer (Autocharis albizonalis) are of prime importance along with mango hoppers. Sahoo and Jha reported that the fruit borer, Autocar is albizonalis, has recently appeared in severe proportion in major mango growing areas of West Bengal, particularly in Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Hooghly districts, causing damage of 10- 52% pinhead fruits. stage up to full maturity. It was revealed that different physicochemical parameters such as TSS, total sugar, reducing sugar and acidity of different mango varieties change during the development period of mango fruit. The infestation and extent of damage by the stem borer varies greatly depending on the genotypes of popular varieties of the mango plant and their different development periods. Numerous insects attack mangoes from the breeding stage to maturity. Low productivity of mango is due to irregular and erratic growth habit, damage by innumerable insects and non-insect pests and harmful diseases. Nearly 400 insects and non-insect parasites have been recorded in the Indian subcontinent showing records of 260 insects and mite parasites of which, according to Kapadia, (2003) thirty parasites are serious pests. Mango fruit borer, commonly known as red banded caterpillar Autocharis albizonalis Hampson is believed to have been recorded as a new pest, causing alarming losses to mango in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, due to the reckless and improper application of insecticides ( PhD thesis submitted by SKhoo in 2006 (Title – “Studies on Insects Pest complex of Mango with special preference to Management of Mango fruit weevil and Mango fruit borer), to Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. ). In West Bengal, it was first recorded in Malda during a survey of mango orchards in Malda and Murshidabad by Jha et al.,. In West Bengal, 10-52% damage to pinhead stage fruits is seen, particularly in Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Hooghly. India has the natural advantage of growing all types of fruit crops. Mango is called the king of fruits in our country. The mango plant suffers from numerous pests and diseases at all stages of development, i.e. from the nursery stage to the adult tree stage. Fruits in the pre-harvest stages are also affected, making them unsuitable for marketing and export. Some of the mango pests reported by different authors include; beetles, fruit flies, red banded thrips, mango tip borer, scale and seed weevil. While diseases include; Anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, bacterial black spot caused by In general, mango pest and disease management is inadequate among Ugandan farmers. Therefore, some mango pests, such as fruit flies, have been reported to have a devastating effect on mango production in Uganda. As a result, the level of productivity that exists in Uganda's mango growing area is discouraging.As a new agricultural venture in West Nile (WNZ), there are various knowledge gaps among farmers regarding pests, diseases and management of exotic mango fruit trees. This is because the chances of disease and pest transfer from the origin of exotic varieties are high. Additionally, crops may also be attacked by pests and diseases that may have lived on alternative wild plants that were of little concern to farmers. All these are mysteries unknown to exotic mango growers and researchers at WNZ. As a result, there is a lack of information on exotic mango pests, diseases and orchard management practices in the area. This study, therefore, sought to establish farmers' knowledge and perceptions of mango pests and diseases and examine orchard management practices employed by farmers. Assessing various prevalent mango pests, diseases and orchard managementPractices in WNZ are useful in establishing research programmes, planning campaign strategies and developing messages for communication to farmers. In the district, fifteen mango farmers with orchards in production with trees 5 years old or older were randomly selected for interviews guided by a semi-structured questionnaire. Interviews were conducted with the selected individuals because they allowed for face-to-face interaction between the researchers and the interviewees. This made it possible to investigate and explain unclear questions. The main variables covered in the questionnaire included; socio-demographic factors, agronomic practices and the main mango pests and diseases. The content of the questionnaire and the type of questions asked were agreed after the key informant interviews. The questionnaire was pretested and revised. Particular attention was paid to farmers' knowledge and perceptions of mango pests and diseases and key orchard management practices. To assess farmers' perceptions of pests and diseases, they were first asked to record the most important pest and disease problems. For each of the major pests and diseases, their incidence, severity and estimated yield loss were classified on a 3-level scale (low, moderate and high). On average, each questionnaire required 1.5 to 2.5 hours of interview with each farmer, followed by a visit to the orchard. The visit to the orchard was intended to cross-check the responses provided by the farmers. In each orchard visited, 10 trees were randomly selected and analyzed for pests and symptoms of pests and diseases. Orchard management practices used by farmers were also established. Survey data were coded and statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16 software. Percentages were based on the number of respondents rather than the total sample. In cases where multiple responses were obtained, the total sample size was used. Chi-square tests were used to analyze farmers' perceptions of pests and diseases. Multinomial logit was used to analyze the factors influencing orchard management practices adopted by farmers. Keeping this in mind, the present investigation was conducted on the physicochemical characteristics including TSS, total sugar, reducing sugar, titratable acidity and sugar-acid ratio of different popular varieties of mango in relation to the incidence of fruit borer. A study was conductedon the incidence pattern of the mango borer (Autocharis albizonalis Hampson), together with the different aspects of the infestation and their varietal preference. This pest was once considered the minor pest in mango orchards, but has recently gained major pest status due to reckless application of broad-spectrum insecticides in mango orchards. The first brood of parasites was observed in the first fortnight of March and continued until June. It has been found that pest attack is maximum from west direction. The larvae pierce the fruits of both the young marbled stage and the more mature ones, producing a small circular hole, the size of a pinhead, at the point of entry, surrounded by a dark brown ring. The larvae, feeding on the pulp of the fruit, formed a network of tunnels to reach the seed. The larvae of the next stage fed on the seed, filling the internal contents with their excrement. Management: Mango hoppers (Cicadellidae: Homoptera) Three species of hoppers have been found to feed on the inflorescence of mango Amritodus Atkinson (Lethierry), Idioscopus clypealis (Lethierry) and I. niveosparsus (Lethierry). Distribution: In India, these hoppers are widely distributed across all mango growing regions. R. Atkinson is more common in northern India. I. clypealis is found throughout India, most predominant in southern Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. I. niveosparsus is recorded from peninsular India. Nature of damage: Hoppers are found in abundance between November and February in conjunction with the flowering of mango trees. In the remaining part of the year they occur in small numbers inside the barks or on the leaves of the mango. Both nymphs and adults suck sap from the inflorescence in large numbers causing wilting and loss of buds and flowers resulting in a heavy loss ranging from 25 to 60% due to poor fruit set. The honeydew they expel creates the conditions for the development of sooty mold. Egg laying also damages the inflorescence. Life History: I. niveosparsus (L.) is slightly smaller with three spots on the scutellum and a prominent white band on the tan wings. I. clypealis (L.) is the smallest with two spots on the scutellum and dark spots on the vertex and is light brown in color. A. Atkinson (L.) is the largest and light brown in color with two spots on the scutellum. The female hopper inserts eggs into flower buds and the inflorescence stem. Nymphs hatch in 4-7 days. Newly hatched nymphs are wedge-shaped and whitish in color with two small red eyes. Gradually, with each moult, the color changes to yellow, yellowish green, green and finally greenish brown. The period from egg to adult lasts approximately 12 - 17 days and two or more broods of the pest may occur during the flowering season. Management strategies: (i) Three applications of 0.1% carbaryl or 0.05% phosalone at fortnightly intervals, or, two sprays of 0.03% phosphamidon or monocrotophos at intervals of 13-18 days at flowering and 2- 3 sprays in June-July. (ii) Keeping orchards clean, avoiding overcrowding of trees and waterlogging, keeps the pest at bay. Gall midges infesting the inflorescence of mango Distribution: Three species of gall midges, namely Procystiphora mangaferae (Felt), Dasineura amamanjarae Grover and Erosomyia indicea Gr. & Pr. are found throughout India. Nature of damage: Due to the attack on unopened flower buds, they do not open and fall off. When the inflorescence stem is attacked, the inflorescence becomes stunted and malformed. Life History: (i) Procystiphora Mangiferae (Felt): The color flylight orange lays eggs inside immature flowers. The worms that hatch from the eggs feed on the stalks of stamens, anthers, ovaries, etc. In each bud there is only one worm which pupates inside the bud itself. The life cycle from egg to adult takes 12-14 days). (ii). Dasineura amaramanjarae Grover: Adult flies insert eggs into unopened flower buds. The worms feed inside the shoots and are unable to open and fall out. The worms hibernate in the soil and thus the parasite is transferred to the following year. When favorable conditions are established, they pupate and emerge as adults. (iii). Erosomyia indica gr. & Pr.: The worms attack the inflorescence stem, flower buds and small developing fruits. The adult fly is yellowish in color and lays its eggs on the peduncle of the inflorescence or at the base of the developing fruit. The worms are yellowish and once grown they pupate in the soil. Management strategies: (i) Injection of the stem by drilling 5 - 10 cm deep holes in the main branches with dimethoate or monocrotophos at 0.5 ml ai/cm of circumference gave effective control of the pest . (ii) A single spray of 2,4-D at 150 mg/l in October caused galls to burst causing 90% of the autocidal mortality of nymphs. Fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Tephritidae: Diptera) Distribution: It is widely distributed in the eastern region from Australia and Hawaii to Pakistan, which is why it is also called oriental fruit fly. The parasite is active throughout the year in southern India, while in northern parts it hibernates during winter (November to March) in the pupal stage. The flies appear in late spring on ripening fruit and the population increases rapidly during the summer. Nature of damage: Female flies lay their eggs just under the epidermis of the fruit (at a depth of 1 - 4 mm). When they hatch, the larvae feed on the pulp of those fruits. As a result, a brown spot appears around the egg-laying site and the infested fruits begin to rot. These affected fruits fall prematurely and maggots come out of these fallen fruits to pupate in the soil. The semi-ripe fruits are usually attacked by April-May. Sometimes it gets serious. Life History: The adult fly is light brown with transparent wings. Adult flies are very noticeable. These are about 7 mm long, with hyaline wings (extension: 13 - 15 mm), ferruginous thorax without the yellow median stripe, yellow legs, conical-shaped abdomen and dark brown colour. The pre-oviposition period is 2 - 5 days. A single female can lay 150 - 200 eggs (average 50) in about a month. The eggs are laid in groups of 2 - 15 eggs and these hatch in 2 - 3 days in March and 1 - 1 1/2 days in April. The life span of the worms is 6 days in summer and extends to 19 days as the temperature drops. Pupation usually occurs 80 - 160 mm below the soil surface and the pupal period varies from 6 days (summer) to 44 days (winter). Management Strategies: (i) The best way to avoid fruit fly infestation is to harvest fruits before ripening. (ii) To control carriage of the pest, collect and destroy all fallen and attached fruit. (iii) Plow around trees during winter to expose and kill pupae. (iv) Adult flies can be trapped and killed by poison bait or spray bait (20 g Malathion, 50% wettable powder in 2 liters of water for bait and 20 liters of water for spraying. (v) Spray with 0.3% oxydemeton methyl or 0.03% phosphamidone or 0.06% dimethoate or 0.2% carbaryl Mango nut weevil or stone weevil Sternochetus mangiferae (Fb.)(Curculionidae: Coleoptera) Distribution: It is widely distributed in the tropics. The pest is more common in southern India where late varieties suffer more. Nature of damage: Eggs are laid singly on the epicarp of partially developed fruits or under the skin of ripe fruits. As soon as the larvae hatch from the eggs they dig a zigzag tunnel through the pulp. endocarp and seed coat and finally reach the cotyledons. As the fruit develops, the tunnels close. The larvae feed on the cotyledons and destroy them. The adults that emerge from the pupae also feed on the developing seed and this can accelerate the ripening of infested fruit. Adults hibernate in the cracks of tree trunks. The weevil attacks the single mango. Life History: The stout, dark brownish awl measures approximately 6 mm in length. The female collects the surface of the developing fruit (until it is half ripe) and deposits her eggs individually. From 12 to 36 eggs can be deposited on one fruit. Ultimately, however, only a maximum of 7 weevils can be observed in a highly sensitive variety. The liquid that escapes from the fruit covers the egg. The incubation period is 7 days. The larva is apodous, fleshy, light yellow in color with a dark head and pupates inside the nut itself. Emerges as an adult in 7 days. The total life cycle from egg to adult takes 40 - 50 days. Weevils hibernate from July to August until the next fruiting season. There is only one generation per year. Management strategies: (i) Walnut weevil damage can be minimized appreciably by spraying deltamethrin 0.025% three times at 15 day intervals starting 45 days after fruit set. (ii). Spray Carbaryl 0.2% when fruits are the size of a lime followed by another spray after 15 days. (iii). Destruction of affected fruit and digging of soil to expose hibernating weevils. Mango stem borer Batocera rufomaculata DeG. (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) Distribution: Widely distributed throughout India and Bangladesh, it attacks not only mango but also other trees such as fig, rubber, jackfruit, eucalyptus, mulberry etc. The Amlet and Mulgoa mango varieties are highly susceptible to attack by this insect. Nature of the damage: The eggs are laid singly in the cracks of the tree trunks or in the cavities of the main branches and trunks covered by a viscous fluid. The larvae feed by tunneling into the bark of branches and cause wilting. Although it is an occasional pest of importance, in case of severe attack the trees succumb. Normally the attack goes unnoticed until the branch begins to dry out. Sometimes you can see sap and excrement coming out of the holes. Life history: The adult beetle has two pink spots and lateral spines on the thorax and measures approximately 50 mm in length. Eggs laid singly on the bark or in crevices of the trunk or branches of a tree hatch in about 1 to 2 weeks. The larva feeds for 3 - 6 months and pupates inside the tunnel itself. The adult emerges in approximately 4 - 9 months. Management strategies: (i) Attached portions should be removed and destroyed. (ii) The larvae can be killed by pouring chloroform, petrol or carbon disulphide into the well or by placing a few crystals of paradichlorobenzene and then closing the hole with mud. Mango mealybug, Drosicha mangaferae (Green) (Coccidae: Homoptera) Distribution: In India it is widely distributed in the Indo-Gangetic plain and has a very wide range of host plants. This parasite has been reported from many places in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. It is said to attack a number of fruit crops such as apples, apricots, beer, cherries, citrus fruits,.