CSI (COCONUT SCALE INSECT) CONTROL ON A CROSS-ROAD

1
Mario V. Navasero
2, 5
, Bonifacio F. Cayabyab
3
, Marcela M. Navasero
2
&
Pablito G. Gonzales
4
1
Summary of Paper delivered during the seminar on Coconut and lanzones scale insect
management on June 9, 21!, "# $raining Center, City "all Compound, San Pa%lo City&
2
Scientist ',
(
)niversity #esearcher '* and
!
)niversity #esearcher ''' of +CPC,CPC, C-,
)P./0
1
Curator of Psylloidea, 2+", )P./
The coconut scale insect (CSI or Cocolisap), Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, is infesting more
than a million trees of coconut in the Calabarzon, for which the President of the Philippines, after
fie years, finally issued an e!ecutie order ("# $o% &'() establishing emergency measures to
control and manage the spread and damage of CSI in the Philippines%
In the Philippines, A. rigidus Reyne is the third introduced species that went into outbrea)
proportions% The first was the *uff coconut mealybug (*C+), Nipaecoccus nipae (+as)ell) that
was recorded in late &((,% This was followed by Coconut leaf beetle (C-*), Brontispa
longissima .estro in /une 0,,1% The outbrea)s of *C+ and C-* naturally subsided after a
certain period, although, occasionally their infestation leels shoot up nowadays% 2or the C-*,
recession of outbrea) came early in two years and the cause of the recession of outbrea) was
attributed to the presence of seeral efficient natural enemies attac)ing the pest% #utbrea) of
C-* coered the 3ustro4#riental Region and the Pacific Islands where all of the countries,
e!cept the Philippines, imported natural enemies from the country of origin of C-*% Some
sectors are still considering the importation of a parasitoid, Asecodes hispinarum, for C-* in
spite of the fact that C-* is not anymore in outbrea) and its population is )ept in chec) by natie
species of natural enemies% *esides, A. hispinarum is attac)ing the laral stage of C-*% 3n
efficient natie parasitoid, Tetrastichus brontispae, is attac)ing the pupal stage which is the
growth stage of C-* after the laral stage% If A. hispinarum gets introduced into the Philippines,
it might dominate if not displace the natie Tetrastichus brontispae because the former attac)s
the earlier growth stage of the host C-*% 5isplacement of natie species by introduced species
should be important considerations for conseration of local biodiersity%
5uring the last fie years, researchers inoled in the tas) force reported only
coccinellids or ladybird beetles as the promising natural enemies of CSI% 6oweer, based on the
results of their own study, coccinellids are not efficient predators% In the last four years, they also
hae difficulty in producing sufficient numbers for release in the field% In spite of these facts,
coccinellids are still being mass produced and being positioned as a potential cure to the CSI
problem% +oreoer, their group is pushing for the importation of another coccinellid, Chilocorus
politus% This is unnecessary and un7ustifiable% Three of the fie species of natural enemies
recorded attac)ing CSI (two coccinellids 8Telsimia nitida and Chilocorus nigritus9 and one
parasitoid9 are occurring in the Philippines% The presence of the parasitoid was the first record of
this species here in the Philippines and probably the remaining two species may be present also
only waiting to be discoered% .oing bac) to C-*, the local parasitoids (Tetrastichus brontispae,
Haeckeliana brontispae and Ooencyrtus sp%) collected then were all new records for the
Philippines that are associated with natie species of hispine beetles before C-* was introduced%
The parasitoid was obsered by us only last 3pril as a result of an unfunded research we
are conducting on CSI, which we started in +arch of this year% This unfunded research was made
possible by the cooperation of a coconut farmer (and his family) who offered their farm where
we can conduct our study% The presence of the parasitoid remained unnoticed since 0,&0 by
those wor)ing on biocontrol of CSI% They were probably loo)ing only upon natural enemies big
enough to be seen in the field by unaided eyes% $ote: This parasitoid has been identified as
Comperiella unifasciata Ishii ("ncyrtidae, 6ymenoptera)%
-ater obserations showed the parasitoid to cause up to ;,< parasitization rate of A.
rigidus not only in Sta +onica, San Pablo City but also in Calauan and -os *a=os where
recoery of damaged coconut trees were noted% 2urther monitoring in *atangas confirmed the
presence of the same parasitoid especially in areas preiously with heaily damaged coconuts
now show significant degree of recoery% In these areas, coconut trees that had only 04> green
leaes left during the height of infestation are now haing up to ( undamaged green leaes%
#ther releant information that we hae generated include other plants being attac)ed by
CSI and obserable differences in the reaction of coconut arieties to infestation of CSI which
has implications on the ?uarantine measures and replanting programs being implemented by the
goernment% The host plants being targeted for ?uarantine are those plants recorded as hosts of
the natie species of coconut scale (Aspidiotus destructor) and not of the introduced CSI% @ith
regard to the coconut arieties, early maturing arieties are more susceptible than the natie or
late maturing arieties% The goernment is using early maturing arieties in their replanting
program%
@e are suggesting that these new information should be ta)en into consideration by the
tas) force in implementing the emergency control measures especially on the massie
application of insecticides in areas where recoery of coconut had been obsered, the coerage
of plants for ?uarantine measures, the replanting program using early maturing arieties and the
planned importation of natural enemies%