Major Coleopteran Pests of Coconut Palm and Their Management
Aura Senson
*
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani (Kerala Agricultural University) 695522, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
T. Santhosh Kumar
Coconut Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Balaramapuram, Kerala-695501, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Coconut Cocos nucifera L. (Palmaceae) is susceptible to greater than 830 insect and mite species, 173 fungi, and 78 nematode species. Pests infesting coconuts mainly belong to different orders, among which Coleoptera are the most significant. Coleopteran pests of coconut include Asiatic Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758), Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier, 1791), Coconut white grub, Leucopholis coneophora (Burmeister, 1855), Leaf Browsing Beetle, Callispa keram (Shameem & Prathapan, 2013), Asian grey weevil Myllocerus undatus (Marshall, 1916), Coconut hispine beetle, Brontispa longissima (Gestro, 1885), and Leaf beetle Wallacea jarawa (Prathapan and Shameem, 2017). This review gathers current knowledge about their biology, ecology, and damage methods, along with traditional and modern management techniques. Also, focuses on integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that include cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical control methods along with recent developments like pheromone-based trapping, microbial agents, and molecular tools for early detection. Despite significant advancements, challenges persist in achieving sustainable control due to pest adaptability, climate effects, and management issues. Improved monitoring, effective management practices, and farmer involvement are essential for reducing coleopteran pest outbreaks and ensuring sustainable coconut production.
Keywords: Coconut, coleoptera, integrated pest management, invasive pest