Intan Sakinah Bt Mohd Anuar Universiti Putra Malaysia
The mutualistic relationship between ants and mealybugs presents a significant challenge in the management of plant disease, a disease known to reduce the yield and quality plants such as in pineapple, guava, papaya, mango, sugarcane and grape. Ants protect mealybugs from natural predators in exchange for honeydew, facilitating their proliferation and increasing disease transmission by the virus. To break the mutualism interaction, a novel control strategy involving the use of artificial sugar feeders was developed. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of sugar feeders in reducing ant attendance to mealybugs and consequently minimizing mealybug infestation and the spread of associated viral diseases. Sugar feeders containing sucrose solutions were deployed in plant fields, and ant foraging behavior, mealybug population density, and disease symptoms were monitored. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in ant attendance to mealybug colonies at treated sites compared to control plots. This reduction correlated with lower mealybug populations and a noticeable decline in disease incidence. Statistical analysis confirmed that sugar feeders had a significant effect on ant behavior and mealybug suppression. In conclusion, sugar feeders offer a promising, eco-friendly method to disrupt ant-mealybug mutualism and mitigate the impact of plant disease. This strategy could complement integrated pest management (IPM) practices and reduce dependency on chemical insecticides.