HYDERABAD, Nov 2: Experts of the Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, working on a fatal mango disease have identified Asian Ambrosia Beetle Xylosandrus Crassiusculus as the cause of the spread of the affliction.

The experts were giving a presentation on "Sudden death of mango trees - a crucial problem in Sindh" at the university campus on Monday.

They said the beetle had tout reddish brown body and was a pest of woody ornamentals fruit and nut trees. They said it spread through the movement of infested wood logs/pieces by its own movements.

They said the beetle was so tiny that the attacked trees did not show any symptoms of infestations at the initial stage but could be identified by strands as they excavated into twigs, branches or small trunks due to female beetle activity leaving only pencil lead sized holes in the bark.

They advised growers to keep mango trees healthy to avert the beetle attack. They also advised larger spacing in nurseries and said heavily infested plants should be removed and destroyed. They said the infested trees should be burnt as they become more attractive to female beetles.

Prof Ehsan Nizamani, Prof Dr G. M. Rahu and Prof M. A. Pathan spoke on the occasion. Prof Q. D. Abbasi and Prof M.A Talpur of the university are conducting experiments to resolve the problem.

CONFERENCE: Vice-chancellors of the University of Sindh and the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Rajput, respectively, have proceeded to Berlin, Germany, to attend a two-day conference on "Achieving the millennium development goals - a challenge for global higher education".