Inventory of the mealybug species associated to the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L.) in four producing areas infected with the swollen shoot disease in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

The objective of this study was to catalog the mealybug species associated to the cocoa tree in four producing areas (Bouafle, Soubre, Duekoue and Sinfra) infected with the swollen shoot disease in Cote d'Ivoire. The study consisted in counting mealybug colonies in infected farms, collecting mealybug specimens, and identifying then. The results of the investigation revealed the presence of eight species of mealybugs: Planococcoides njalensis, Planococcus citri, Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcus longispinus, Planococcus kenyae, Phenacoccus hargreavesi, Dysmicoccus brevipes, Maconellicoccus hirsutus. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were revealed between species with regard to the mean number of colonies per tree in the cocoa farms. P. njalensis was the most abundant species in the cocoa farms surveyed, with 14.58 colonies per tree. The mealybugs were mainly recorded on leaves, shoots and pods, however, the pods appeared to be the most colonized. Moreover, the mealybugs identified were associated with various species of ants.