IIHR Develops Arka Mealymelt: mealybug wax solubilizer

Arka Mealy Melt is an ICAR- IIHR-developed product. The product is developed using state-of-the-art mealy bug wax solubilizing technology. It contains wax solubilizers that dissolve the external mealy wax coating which hinders insecticide penetration. This works against multiple species of mealy bugs.

Feed on many plants: Mealybugs are soft, oval insects covered with mealy material and feed on many plants in agriculture, horticultural, plantation and other commercially cultivated crops including kitchen gardens, home gardens, landscape, and indoor settings.

Repeated spray recommendations: Usually found in colonies on plants, they are soft-bodied piercing-sucking insects or sap feeders. To date, the management protocols for these pests revolve around conventional chemical insecticides and other botanical oils/formulations with repeated spray recommendations.

Mealy covering major hurdle: The major hurdle in their management is the mealy covering on their bodies which makes it hard to kill insects as any spray solution does not reach them. As mealybugs are very difficult to manage insects, currently approaches like cultural practices, monitoring, using biological control agents like predators, parasitoids, chemical insecticides with systemic action and a combination of the above are generally used to control mealybugs.

Effective organic solvents: "Our technology is a combination product of effective individual organic solvents which are capable of removing the outer mealy covering of mealybugs. We have conducted a significant number of lab and field trials to examine the potential of our formulation in solubilizing the mealybug wax which acts as a protective coating for any insecticidal penetration.

Mortality due to desiccation: Once the mealy wax is dissolved the mealybugs are exposed/ become naked which are highly susceptible to any insecticidal activity. After exposure, mortality occurs due to desiccation. From the experiment trials, we concluded that our technology is capable of dissolving the mealybug wax.

First-of-its-kind product: Our technology targets the mealy coating of mealybugs thereby, linking the potential of our technology in IPM, mealybugs control and eradication programs. This is a “first of its kind product” and there exists no competing product directed towards wax dissolving capacity for mealybugs", informs Dr Jayanthimala, Scientist of IIHR.

Inputs: Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru