Methyl bromide fumigation of pineapple scale, Diaspis bromeliae (Kerner)

Abstract

Crowns, suckers and slips of Smooth Cayenne pineapples infested with D. bromeliae were fumigated in a fumigation chamber with methyl bromide at 27-55 g/m3 for 2 h at 20 deg C. Fumigation at 46 or 55 g/m3 eliminated D. bromeliae, assessed 14 days later. No phytotoxicity was caused on disease-free material, but suckers severely infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi suffered severe leaf burn at all dosage rates. ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT: Diaspis bromeliae (Kerner), an occasional pest of pineapple in south-eastern Queensland, was eliminated from pineapple planting material by fumigating with methyl bromide at a dosage of 46 g/m3 for 2 h at 20 deg C. This could be used to prevent the spread of the scale to uninfested districts.