Vol. 117 (2004): Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society
Ornamental, Garden & Landscape

Management of cycad aulacaspis scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui takagi

Christine Emshousen
Montgomery Botanical Center

Published 2004-12-01

Keywords

  • aulacaspis yasumatsui,
  • cycads,
  • florida ornamentals,
  • ornamental diseases

Abstract

Since it was first introduced into south Florida in 1995, Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi (cycad aulacaspis scale) has been attacking popular landscape cycads and spreading rapidly. This pest is now found in Florida, Texas, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Plant death and damage caused by A. yasumatsui is having a marked effect on the ornamental cycad industry and has become a major concern for nursery professionals. The spread of A. yasumatsui to other countries through plant sale and trade is also a serious concern as it could threaten native cycad populations. Previous research on 1 gallon potted cycads indicated that an insect growth regulator, pyriproxifen, applied as a foliar spray provided excellent control of this pest and did not cause any plant tissue damage. An additional study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of pyriproxifen on light and dense infestations of A. yasumatsui on cycads ranging in size from 1 foot to approximately 10 feet tall growing in a landscape situation. We observed that pyriproxifen provided excellent control of A. yasumatsui on lightly infested plants, adequate control on densely infested plants, and did not cause any plant tissue damage.