According to the report on the situation of harmful organisms to plants from 19/02/2024 to 25/02/2024 of Lam Dong Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub Department, the tea tree area in Bao Lam and Bao Loc which is infected with mosquito bugs (Helopeltis Spp.) is 2,830 hectares, an increase of 90 hectares compared to the same period last year. The damage rate ranges from 5% to 19.8%, significantly affecting the tea tree’s productivity and quality. Helopeltis Spp. is a common harmful insect, which has a serious effect on the yield and quality of tea. They use their mouthpart to penetrate plant tissue and suck plant sap, the same way as what mosquitoes do with animal blood. Young leaves, soft stems and buds of tea plants are the "favorite" food of both pupa and adult Helopeltis Spp.. When they eat, they inject toxic saliva, which changes plant tissues from green to a reddish-brown color.
Therefore, diseases caused by Helopeltis Spp. make the leaves of the tea plants have reddish-brown spots. Because of lack of resin, punctured buds dry out and die. Leaves curl, deform, and fall off. Severely affected bushes look scorched, looking like they have just been "fired". Helopeltis Spp. has a significant impact on the tea plant’s health, causing crop productivity to decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to implement measures to limit the number of mosquito bugs that harm tea plants. There are a number of effective measures to prevent Helopeltis Spp.:
- Use pesticides which contain active ingredients such as Emamectin Benzoate, Abamectin, Permethrin, Alpha-Cypermethrin,...
- In addition to adequate and balanced fertilization according to each stage of tea tree development, to limit the hiding places of mosquito bugs, people need to regularly clean up weeds in tea gardens and avoid intercropping host plants of these insects (such as cassava, sweet potatoes,...).
- It is advisable to plant shade trees for tea plants to create a cool environment to help the plants grow better and limit the growth of Helopeltis Spp.
- Spray water directly on the tea buds to wash away mosquito bugs and their eggs from the tea plants.
- It is necessary to pick tea properly when the tea buds reach the appropriate age with regular frequency to limit the time mosquito bugs have to be born and grow.
See more details at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx9d4g4TFF0
The link of the report on the situation of organisms harmful to plants from from 19/02/2024 to 25/02/2024 of Lam Dong Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub Department: http://ttbvtv.lamdong.gov.vn/chuyen-de-ky-thuat/phong-chong-dich-benh-cay-trong/2807-boo-coo-tonh-honh-sinh-vt-goy-hi-coy-trng-t-ngày-19-02-2024-–-25-02-2024
