Control of Citrus Mealybug on Croton, 1984

Eighteen container-grown crotons, heavily infested with citrus mealybug, were chosen from a greenhouse for testing. Plants were 1.5-2 ft tall and growing in 1-gal plastic pots. All stages of citrus mealybug were present. Insecticides were applied 13 Jan, 3 Feb, and 10 Feb with hand-held, compressed air sprayers. Chevron spreader sticker was added to all treatments at a rate of 2.4 ml/gal spray mixture. Treatments arranged in a RCB design were replicated 3 times, with a single plant constituting a replication. Plants were returned to the greenhouse after they had air dried. Effectiveness of treatments was determined on 17 Feb by examining 100 mealybugs per replication using a stereomicroscope. Mealybugs were recorded as living if normally colored and full-bodied, or dead if discolored and shriveled or dried.