Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

158 Pests and Diseases
trunk and roots, causing gum leakage and eventually killing the tree. Thrips damage
leaves and include: Heliothrips rubrocinctus Giard in the West Indies; and Idolothrips
halidaji Newm., and Phloeothrips anacardii Newm. in India. The leaf miner
(Acrocercops syngramma M.) attacks young plants. The tea mosquito (Helopeltis
antonii S.) attacks the shoot tips and causes them to dry up and shed nuts prematurely.
The caterpillar (Cricula trifenestrata H.) occasionally infests and defoliates the tree.
The mealy bug (Ferresiana virgata) attacks the inflorescence. An unidentified mite
infests the tree in Haiti, yellowing the leaves, and causing a severe reduction in nut
yield. Other pests include leaf webbers, flea beetles, spider mites, and scales. Fruit flies
sometimes attack the cashew apple.
Other Pests: Nematode species of the genera Criconemoides, Scutellonema, and
Xiphinema are prevalent in Brazil.
Diseases: Cashew anthracnose is caused by a fungus (Glomerella cingulata) and is
characterized by the destruction of flower sets, resulting in little or no fruit production.
Pink disease, caused by Gloeosporium spp., results in tip dieback and possibly pitting
of the nut surface. A disease with leaf-blight symptoms occurs on mature trees in Haiti,
but may be confused with severe infestations of mites. Powdery mildew attacks young
leaves and inflorescences during dry weather. An additional 26 genera of pathogenic
fungi have been reported, none of which is considered to be of economic importance.
References: Duke, 1989; Morton,1961; Tourigny, 1987.
Species: Andira inermis (W. Wright) DC.
Creole Name: bwa palmis
Family: Fabaceae (=Leguminosae)
Insect Pests: Seed weevils (Cleogonus spp.) and fruit flies attack seeds and pods in
Costa Rica. Pinhole borers, powder post beetles, and termites attack the sapwood. Drywood
termites attack the heartwood in tropical America.
Other Pests: Field mice clip the stems of seedlings in Puerto Rico.
Reference: Weaver, 1989.
Species: Annona muricata L.
Creole Name: kowosol
Family: Annonaceae
Insect Pests: Insect pests causing the most damage include Bephata maculicollis,
Ceconota annonella, Talponia backeri, and Thecla ortygnus.
Disease: Fungus damage (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz) is serious in Venezuela
and Puerto Rico. Dieback of an uncertain cause occurs in Hawaii.
Reference: CAB, 1988
Species: Araucaria heterophylla (Salisb.) Franco
Creole Name: arokariya
Family: Araucariaceae
Insect Pests: The mealybug (Octaspidiotus araucariae) infests the tree in Hawaii and
Puerto Rico. Ericocus araucariae Muskell attacks the tree in Brazil.
Disease: Dieback of an uncertain cause has been reported in its native Norfolk Island.
Reference: Francis, [n.d.]