Abstract:
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the most important fruit crop grown in Amhara National Regional
State of Northwestern Ethiopia for market and family consumption. Mango production is highly
affected by several diseases and insect pests. Mango production in the study area is currently
constrained by the infestation of white mango scale (Aulacaspis tubercularis). It spread and has
become a threat to mango production in the Amhara region and the country at large. Therefore,
this research is aim to investigate the population dynamics of white mango scale and its
relationship with some ecological factors in Dera District from December 2022 to November 2023.
Representative sites were purposively selected for the study. From each site five mango trees were
purposively selected, and twelve mango leaves were plucked monthly from each mango tree at the
upper, at the middle, and at the lower portion at each of the four cardinal directions of the tree. In
the study months, female, male and egg was collected. Annual weather data, maximum
temperature, minimum temperature, rain fall and relative humidity was taken from Amhara
National Regional Meteorology Station. Micro soft excel was used for data organization and
analyzed using R-Statistics software version 4.3.1. The results of the study confirmed that white
mango scale was identified in all sampled study areas throughout the study period with a
fluctuating population density. The mean number of white mango scale showed significant
differences (p< 0.05) among the study months in each location, tree directions and canopy
positions. The results indicated that, white mango scale showed population peaks in April and
May. There was a high population dynamics recorded in south direction and in the middle between
tree canopies. There was a positive correlation between white mango scale with rainfall and
temperature. Infested mango leaves by Aulacaspis tubercularis were present in two sampled study
areas, with a fluctuating population density throughout the study period. Furthermore, the study
investigated whether the build-up and decline of the white mango scale are affected by basic
climatic factors such as temperature and rainfall, relative humidity, and cardinal direction
differences, where the other contributing factors need to be investigated further for the future.