Abstract
The coconut eriophyid mite was reported to cause damage in coconut homesteads in southern region of Bangladesh. The pest status was conducted during the month of February to May 2016 and 2017 in
selected places of six districts in southern region to documents the pest status A. guerreronis K. The infestation of eriophyid mites on the basis of per cent plant infestation as well as on the basis of coconut
infestation was more in Barisal (ranges between 90.00 to 94.22%) followed by Bargona (86.65 to 92.12%), Bhola (88.09 to 92.09%), Patuakhali (89.04 to 91.16%), Jhalokati (89.15 to 90.54%) and Pirozpur district (86.98 to 89.53%). However, the pest's status was the highest coconut infestation in
Grade III was observed in Matibanga, Bhola Sador, Nalsiti, Rahmatpur, Patuakhali Sador and
Sekanderkhali places of Pirozpur, Bhola, Jhalokati, Barisal, Patuakhali, and Bargona districts, respectively with 48.48, 46.45, 46.38, 45.42, 45.28, and 42.47% infestation. Pest status results can be
concluded that the infestation of eriophyid mites to coconut in all district of southern region in Bangladesh had reached to its maximum limit and was found to have started much earlier in the
southern region. Study on the population dynamics of coconut mite, A. guerreronis K. was conducted in
three coconut gardens around RARS, BARI, Rahmatpur, Barisal to record their seasonal fluctuation. In
the result, it was found that during the course of population dynamics of the mite population on the nut
surface ranged from 47.94 to 94.67 mites/25 mm². The highest mite population was 94.67/25mm²
observed in the second fortnight of May. The mite population on perianth fluctuated from the lowest of
18.11 mites (second fortnight of July) to the highest of 44.33 (second fortnight of May). The per cent
damaged nuts were relatively higher throughout the year with little variation which ranged from 80.40
to 94.69 per cent with an average of 86.76 per cent. The results of the present study was indicated that
among the different treatments, cleaning old infested green coconut and others debris was found significantly superior in reducing the mite population after three time (23.22, 59.29% reduction) with
highest percent reduction of infestation over untreated control (78.74%), more healthy nuts (44.83
nuts/4 bunches), least percent of infested coconut (18.73%) and highest benefit cost ratio (3.08) in
2015/16-16/17 Among the different nutrients applied to soil recommended dose of fertilizer (1.3kg N+
2kg P+2kg K) + MOP (1.5kg) + MgSO4 (50g) +borax (50g) + gypsum (1.0kg) was found significantly
superior in reducing the mite population (16.89, 73.34% reduction) with highest percent reduction of
infestation over untreated control (86.62%), more healthy nuts (53.17 nuts/4 bunches), least percent of
infested coconut (11.63%) and highest benefit cost ratio was recorded (2:28). The results on field
evaluation of different botanicals against coconut mite, A. guerreronis K. was indicated that among
different botanicals, Bioneem plus 1EC @ 2ml/l of water was found significantly superior in reducing
the mite population (15.89, 75.50% reduction) with highest percent reduction of infestation over
untreated control (89.17%) healthy nuts (53.33 nut/4 bunches), least percent of infested coconut
(10.83%) and highest benefit cost ratio (3.45). Evaluation of different acaricides against coconut mite,
A. guerreronis K. was indicated that among different acaricides, Abom (Abamectin) 1.8 EC @ 1.2ml/I
of water and Vertimec (Abamectin) 1.8 EC @ 1.2ml/l of water were found significantly superior in
reducing the mite population (0.72, 1.61 and 98.66, 97.01% reduction) with highest percent reduction of
infestation over untreated control (92.88 and 92.77%), more healthy nuts (57.67 and 56.83 nuts/4
bunches), least percent of infested coconut (6.74, 6.83%) and highest benefit cost ratio (3.03 and 2.96).
To develop a sustainable Integrated Management Packages for coconut mite, A. guerreronis K. among
different treatments, Package-5 and Package-4 were found significantly superior in reducing the mite
population (0.41, 0.95 and 99.38, 98.57% reduction of mite) with highest percent reduction of
infestation over untreated control (98.07 and 95.99%), more healthy coconuts (61.34 and 59.50 nuts/4
bunches), least percent of infested coconut (1.86 and 3.86%) and highest BCR (3.1 and 3.09)