Eriophyes guerreronis

The eriophyid coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis, is a mite which infests coconut plantations. It is economically devastating, and can destroy up to 90% of coconut production. The immature nuts are infested and injured by mites feeding in the portion covered by the perianth of the immature nut. Subsequently, the nuts drop off or survive deformed. Spraying with wettable sulfur 0.4% or with neem-based pesticides can give some relief, but is cumbersome and labor-intensive. Research on this topic has as of 2009^[update] produced no truly efficacious results, and researchers from the Kerala Agricultural University and the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Kasaragode and elsewhere,are still searching for a cure. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kannur under Kerala Agricultural University has developed an innovative extension approach called Compact area group approach (CAGA) to combat coconut mites.

References

• Sharon Angella McDonald (July 9, 1997). Infestation patterns of the coconut mite, Eriophyes guerreronis (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), on coconuts and resulting yield loss in eastern Jamaica (Master of Science thesis). Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-71997-85230/unrestricted/etd.pdf. 

|Title=Geographic morphological variation in the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae): a geometric morphometric analysis. |authors= Navia, D., De Moraes, G. J., Querino, R. B. |year=2006. |publisher=International Journal of Acarology 32(3): 301-314.

Link

|Title= Coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis |Publisher= Univ. Florida http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/palms/Aceria_guerreronis.htm Univ. Florida,