Effects of tree pruning and fruit bagging on productivity and pest management cost in mango production in selected areas in the Philippines.
Orden M. E. M., Paderes A. S., Aveno J. L., Santos A. L.
Author Affiliation: Research Office, Central Luzon State University, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija 3120, Philippines.
Philippine Entomologist 19 : 21-48
Abstract : A total of 332 mango producers were interviewed from major producing areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines, to analyse the effects of mango tree pruning and fruit bagging on pest management cost, productivity and net income. Insect pests of mango are predominantly controlled using chemicals with different active ingredients and varying levels of mammalian toxicity. Pruning reduced the amount of insecticides used and cost of pest management. The Cobb-Douglas production function showed that pruning was a yield-increasing technology. Bagging protected mango fruits from insect damage and reduced the needed number of sprayings by 2 times, resulting in lesser quantity of pesticides used and lower cost of chemical control. Bagging was relatively costly, hence it did not reduce the cost of pest management. Bagging slightly increased yield and resulted in higher proportion of harvest sold to exporters. Net revenue above pest management cost was higher for the bagging and pruning technology adopters than for the non-adopters by P200-P500/tree. Bagging could have long-term benefits to the environment and the mango-eating public due to reductions in the use of chemical pesticides. If bagging is practiced widely, the danger of environmental pollution and accumulation of the ill-effects of sprayed chemicals on the health of mango orchard workers, household members and mango fruit consumers could be minimized.