Cut Scales-hit mango branches and burn, says mango scientist.

MULTAN -- Principal Scientist, Mango Research Institute (MRI) Multan, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Grewal advised farmers on Wednesday to cut the Scales-hit branches of mango trees in their orchards and burn them to save the aromatic and delicious fruit from the insect attack and make room for passage of air and sunlight through the plants.

Grewal said in a statement that attack of Scales, a small, stationary, and shell-like insects on leaf stems or fruit surfaces was observed on mango crop not only on big trees but also on smaller plants. 'Since the attack occurred at a time when fruit was passing through firming stage, pesticides application was not possible and hence it affected the fruit quality in some orchards.'

The...