HOT-WATER IMMERSION OF CAPE JASMINE CUTTINGS FOR DISINFESTATION OF GREEN SCALE (HOMOPTERA, COCCIDAE)

Efficacy of hot-water immersion at 49 degrees C from 0 to 10 min at 1-min intervals was determined for crawler, nymph, and adult stages of the green scale, Coccus viridis (Green), on propagative cuttings of cape jasmine, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. Immersion in water at 49 degrees C for 10 min was 99.9% effective against adults (n = 4,068) and crawlers (n = 8,278) and 99.7% effective against nymphs (n = 28,646). In another test, treatment of cape jasmine cuttings with hot water at 49 degrees C for 10 min significantly increased shoot development. When cuttings were treated in hot water plus 0.8% indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) rooting powder or with IBA alone, cuttings had significantly more roots and greater root weight than cuttings treated in hot water alone or than control cuttings. We conclude that hot-water immersion will disinfest cape jasmine cuttings of green scale, increase shoot development, and will not negatively affect root development of cape jasmine. Hot-water immersion can be used in a systems approach to quarantine security for green scale on cape jasmine.