Symptoms
Adults feed on leaves causing defoliation, particularly at night. Larvae (white grubs) feed on roots causing wilting, yellowing, and plant death. Root damage is often more severe than adult defoliation.
Prevention
Till soil to expose and kill pupae and grubs. Use pheromone or light traps to monitor and catch adults. Apply entomopathogenic fungi to soil before planting. Maintain soil organic matter for biological suppression.
Treatment
Organic
Apply Metarhizium anisopliae or Beauveria bassiana to soil to target grubs. Use entomopathogenic nematodes. Hand-collect adults at night using light traps.
Chemical (last resort)
Apply chlorpyrifos or carbofuran granules to soil to target grubs. Treat soil before planting for preventive control. Foliar sprays target adults feeding on leaves at night.
Affects 1 crop
Sources
MARDI Durian Production Guide; DOA Extension Bulletin