Bwa-yo - Société Audubon Haiti

Pests and Diseases 169
Species: Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.
Creole Names: piyon, piyong, lila etranje
Family: Fabaceae (=Leguminosae)
Insect Pests: Scale (Orthezia praelonga Douglass), a mealybug (Puto barberi), and an
aphid (Aphis liburni) cause minor damage in Trinidad. Aphids (Aphis spp.) suck sap
from young leaves and twigs, secrete honeydew as a nutritive medium for sooty molds,
and cause a decline in vigor of trees in Haiti. The species is host to several agricultural
pests: Ceutorhynchus asperulus, a weevil that attacks pigeon pea; Oligonychus biharensis
Hirst and Eutetranychus orientalis Klein, both polyphagous mites in India. The
species is an alternate food plant for lepidopteran pests (Orgyia postica Wlk. and
Dasychira mendosa Hb.) and for the peanut aphid (Aphis crassivora Koch.) in India.
Other Pests: Rats and mice girdle bark and kill seedlings in Haiti, despite its reputation
as a source of rat poison.
Diseases: A leaf spot (Cercospora gliricidiae Syd. and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Penz.) is reported in Puerto Rico and Nigeria. A thread blight (Pellicularia koleroga
Cke.) occurs in Puerto Rico. Cladosporium sp. causes severe defoliation in Costa Rica.
A root fungal pathogen (Sphaerostilbe repens Berk. & Br.) is reported in Trinidad.
References: Josiah and Allen-Reid, 1991; Parrotta, 1992b; Tourigny, 1987.
Species: Guarea guidonia (L.) Sleumer
Creole Name: bwa wouj
Family: Meliaceae
Insect Pests: The mahogany shoot borer (Hypsipyla grandella Zeller) bores into buds,
shoots, and stems in Central America and the Caribbean. Several insect species attack
seedlings, causing mortality in Trinidad.
Disease: Minor leaf spot damage has been reported in Puerto Rico.
References: CATIE, 1992; Weaver, 1988.
Species: Guazuma ulmifolia Lam.
Creole Name: bwa dam
Family: Sterculiaceae
Insect Pests: The seed crop is heavily attacked by a bruchid beetle (Amblycerus cistelinus)
in Costa Rica. Phelypera distigma, Lirimiris truncata, and Hylesia lineata beetles
feed on leaves in Costa Rica. The wet-wood termite (Nasutitermes costalis
Holmgren) attacks dead trees and dead limbs of live trees in Puerto Rico. The dry-wood
termite (Cryptotermes brevis Walker) attacks the wood in the Caribbean and Central
America.
Reference: Francis, 1991b.
Species: Hevea brasiliense (HBK.) Mue1!. Arg.
Creole Name: kawotchou
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Diseases: Anthracnose (Glomerella cingulata) attacks young leaves and results in premature
leaf drop. The leaf spot (Helminthosporium heveae) causes spotting on leaves
and premature leaf drop. The South American leaf blight (Dothidella ulei) causes severe
defoliation.
Reference: Mortensen and Bullard, 1970.