The major pest for wax apple is the fruit fly especially white striped fruit fly (Bactrocera albistrigata) and carambola fruit fly (Bactrocera carambolae).

Common name: White Striped Fruit Fly (WSFF)
Scientific name: Bactrocera albistrigata
Order: Diptera
Family: Tephritidae

Description: The general appearance of B. albistrigata resembles an oriental fruit fly, but B. albistrigata differ from it by the wing pattern and the coloration pattern on the thorax and abdomen. The wing has a brown mark along the front edge which becomes faint at mid length, and then reappears as a light spot at the tip. The abdomen has a dark stripe down the middle, flanked by two broader stripes at the sides.

Distribution: B. albistrigata occurs in a territory of Australia , the Andaman and Nicobar Island ( India ), Indonesia, peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and probably northern and western Irian Jaya.

Hosts: B. albistrigata has been recorded from the fruit of guava, carambola, tropical almond, jackfruit, rose apple, wax apple, Malay-apple, Syzygium sp., and a number of Asian trees occasionally planted as ornamentals.

(Sources: www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=388)

Common name: Carambola fruit fly
Scientific name: Bactrocera carambolae
Order: Diptera
Family: Tephritidae

Description: Carambola fruit fly is originated from Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia and Southern Thailand where it is endemic.

Distribution: First found in the districts of Paramaribo and Saramacca but surveillance soon revealed that the fruit fly occurred throughout the coastal region.

Major hosts: Carambola, wax apple

Minor hosts: Mango, sapodilla, guava, West Indian cherry

(Sources: faperta.ugm.ac.id/perlintan2005/penelku.htm)

Leaf eating caterpillar (Carea subtilis)

It was reported that this insect caused damage to the plant in South India . The insect infests the leaves and defoliate the trees. The pest can be controlled by spraying 625 ml Roger in 500 litres of water.

White-fly (Dialeurodes eugeniae)

It damages the tree in all parts of India . Sometimes the fruits of jamun get wormy due to attack of fruit fly. Pests can be controlled by maintaining sanitary situation in the orchard. Pick up the affected fruits and burry them deep in soil. The area under the tree should be dug so that the maggots in the affected fruits and the pupae hibernating in the soil may be destroyed.

White fly

(Source: www.gardenaction.co.uk/techniques/pests/white_fly.htm)

Bark eating caterpillar (Inderbela tetraonis)

This pest bore into the bark of jamun tree and feed inside. Trees become weak and do not bear fruits. Avoid over crowding of trees by removing unwanted twigs. Clean the affected portions by removing all webs. Inject kerosene oil or petrol and plug the hole with cotton wool soaked in carbon bisulphate.

Leaf Webbers (Argyroploce aprobola; A. mormopa)

The newly hatched larvae in large numbers web together the tender leaves at shoot tips and feed within (Lakra, 1997). The leaf rollers and Webbers population can be kept under control by regular clipping and destroying affected leaves. In case of severe attack, spray with chloropyriphos 20 EC (2 mL/L) or endosulfan 35 EC (2 mL/L) is recommended (Lakra, 1997).

Leaf Webber Adult

(Source:www.icrisat.org/vasat/learning_resources/pigeonpea/pest/Attack Foliage/leafwebber.htm)

Jamun leaf roller (Polychorosis cellifera)

The larvae web the leaves by folding the tip downwards on both the margins parallel to the mid-rib and feed inside. The pests undergo 3-4 generations between March-April and September-October in North India and the second generation is the most harmful (Lakra, 1997).

Diseases

Leaf spot and fruit rot

The disease caused due to Glomerella cingulata. Affected leaf shows scattered spots, light brown or reddish brown in color. The affected fruits rot and shrivel. The disease can be controlled with fungicide like Dithane Z - 78 at 0.02% or Bordeaux mixture (2: 2: 250).