magazinelogo

Advance in Biological Research

ISSN Online: 2635-0319 CODEN: ABRDF6
Frequency: Instant publication Email: abr@hillpublish.com
Total View: 606737 Downloads: 66863 Citations: 41 (From Dimensions)

Volumes & Issues

Current Issue

All Volumes

ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/abr.2026.12.001

Assessment of Mango Pests, Pest Management Knowledge and Practices of Mango Growers in Selected Districts of Ari and Konso Zones, South Ethiopia Regional State

Daniel Abebe*, Damtew Atnafu, Kumsa Dida, Tesfaye Mengsha

Department of Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jinka University, P.O. Box 165, Jinka, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author: Daniel Abebe

Published: September 08, 2026

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important fruit crop that contributes significantly to the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers in southern Ethiopia. However, its productivity is increasingly constrained by major insect pests, particularly the mango fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the white mango scale (Aulacaspis tubercularis). This study assessed the prevalence of these pests and examined farmers’ pest management practices in Ari and Konso Zones, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 160 households were interviewed, and 480 mango trees across eight kebeles were systematically inspected for pest infestation. The results revealed pronounced spatial variation in pest distribution. In Konso Zone, mango fruit fly infestation was widespread, while white mango scale was not observed, likely due to ecological conditions and traditional management practices such as orchard sanitation and smoke fumigation. In contrast, Ari Zone exhibited severe infestation pressure from both pests, with 86.9% of trees affected by mango fruit fly and 76.6% by white mango scale. The findings further indicated low farmer awareness and limited adoption of effective pest management practices in Ari Zone, corresponding with higher perceived yield losses reported by farmers. The study concludes that pest incidence in mango production systems is highly location-specific and influenced by both ecological factors and farmers’ knowledge and management practices. It recommends the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies tailored to local conditions, strengthened farmer training programs, and better integration of indigenous knowledge to enhance sustainable mango production in southern Ethiopia.

Keyword

Mango; integrated pest management; indigenous knowledge; smallholder

References

[1] Woldetsadik K, Mohammed A, Getachew A. Mango production and marketing in Ethiopia: Status, challenges, and opportunities. Ethiop Hortic Sci Soc Bull. 2015;3(1):16 23. 

[2] GAIN (Global Agricultural Information Network). Ethiopia: Food and agricultural import regulations and standards. Report No. ET1831. Washington, DC: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service; 2018. 

[3] FAOSTAT. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations statistical database [Internet]. Rome: FAO; 2023 [cited 2024 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.fao.org/faostat 

[4] Ayalew G, Tesfaye T, Alemayehu H, et al. Assessment of major insect pests and indigenous management practices in mango orchards of Ethiopia. J Plant Prot Res. 2021;61(4): 427-437. doi:10.24425/jppr.2021.137952 

[5] Lux SA, Copeland RS, White IM, Manrakhan A, Billah MK, et al. A new invasive fruit fly species from the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) group detected in East Africa. Afr Entomol. 2003;11(1):1 8. 

[6] Ekesi S, Nderitu PW, Rwomushana I, et al. Field infestation, life history and demographic parameters of the fruit fly Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Africa. Bull Entomol Res. 2006;96(4):379 386. doi:10.1079/BER2006448 

[7] Temesgen A. Survey on distribution and damage status of white mango scale (Aulacaspis tubercularis) in Ethiopia. Ethiop J Hortic. 2014;5(1):45 53. 

[8] Garuma D. White mango scale: Its incidence and damage in Ethiopia. Agric Entomol Bull. 2021;12(1):22 28. 

[9] Tesfaye T, Ayalew G, Kassa A, et al. Evaluation of indigenous mango pest management strategies in selected areas of southern Ethiopia. J Agric Ext Rural Dev. 2019;11(3):47 54. 

[10] Melesse D. Indigenous knowledge and management of mango pests in southern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Agric Sci. 2020;30(2):89 98. 

[11] Jinka Agriculture Office. Annual agricultural pest and disease report. Unpublished internal document. 2023. 

[12] Konso Agriculture Office. Integrated crop production and protection report. Unpublished internal document. 2023. 

[13] Ashley C. Applying livelihood approaches to natural resource management initiatives: Experiences in Namibia and Kenya. Working Paper No. 134. London: Overseas Development Institute; 2000. 

[14] Senanayake R. Indigenous knowledge as a key to sustainable development. J Hum Ecol. 2006;19(2):85 88. 

[15] James WC. An illustrated series of assessment keys for plant diseases, their preparation and usage. Can Plant Dis Surv. 1971;51:39 65. 

[16] Williams DJ, Watson GW, Timmis R, et al. Scale insects of the families Diaspididae and Coccidae on mango in Africa. Afr Entomol. 2009;17(2):193 206. 

[17] Kataria SK, Kumar D. Incidence and severity of insect pests in horticultural crops: Methods for assessment and estimation. Ann Plant Prot Sci. 2012;20(1): 146-149. 

[18] SPSS Inc. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. Chicago, IL: SPSS Inc.; 2007. 

[19] Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The state of food and agriculture 2010-2011: Women in agriculture – closing the gender gap for development. Rome: FAO; 2011. 

[20] Asfaw Z, Lemenih M, Kassa H, et al. Indigenous fruit trees of Ethiopia: Contribution for food and nutrition security. Ethiop J Biol Sci. 2010;9(1):31 43. 

[21] Workneh TS, Osthoff G, Steyn MS, et al. Effects of harvesting stage and postharvest handling on mango quality. Afr J Agric Res. 2012. 

[22] Norrbom AL, Carroll LE, Thompson FC, et al. Systematic database of fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae). Washington, DC: USDA; 1999. 

[23] Bakry MM, Abdel Baky NF, et al. Management of fruit flies affecting mango production using integrated approaches. J Plant Prot Res. 2020. 

[24] Wakoya F, Azerefegne F, Beyeneh Y, et al. Species composition of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and extent of infestations on mango (Mangifera indica L.) in western Ethiopia. J Nat Sci Res. 2018;8(13):1 12. 

[25] Ekesi S, Billah MK. A field guide to the management of economically important tephritid fruit flies in Africa. Nairobi: ICIPE Science Press; 2007. 

[26] Getachew T, Tekie H, et al. Assessment of fruit fly infestation and losses in mango production systems of southern Ethiopia. J Agric Sci. 2020;15(2):111 119. 

[27] Habtegebriel B, Melisie D, Kidane H, Daba T, Azerefegn F, et al. Control of the white mango scale (Aulacaspis tubercularis) with systemic soil drenching insecticides and pruning in greater than ten years old mangos in western Ethiopia. Isr J Entomol. 2020;50(1):65 73. doi:10.5281/zenodo.398779

Copyright

© 2026 by the author(s).
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not modified or adapted.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

How to cite this paper

Assessment of Mango Pests, Pest Management Knowledge and Practices of Mango Growers in Selected Districts of Ari and Konso Zones, South Ethiopia Regional State

How to cite this paper: Daniel Abebe, Damtew Atnafu, Kumsa Dida, Tesfaye Mengsha. (2026) Assessment of Mango Pests, Pest Management Knowledge and Practices of Mango Growers in Selected Districts of Ari and Konso Zones, South Ethiopia Regional State. Advance in Biological Research, 7(2), 59-69.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/abr.2026.12.001