Pests and diseases are very destructive to fruit trees. There are many different types of pests and diseases that infest fruit trees and plants in general. Pest and diseases can be classified as either airborne or soil borne.

Airborne pests are pests that affects the fruit trees and plants above the soil they feed mostly feed on the leaves and sometimes feed on the stem/branches of the trees. Examples of airborne pests are Aphids, Thrips, Mealybugs, White flies, Mites, Scales, Caterpillars, Ants, Leaf miners, Grasshoppers etc. Some airborne pests like Aphids secrete honeydew that attract destructive Ant colonies.

Soil borne pests are pests that affects fruit trees and plants below the soil, they mostly feed on the roots or infect the roots with toxic pathogens. Examples of soil borne pests are Grubs, Termites, Root Knot Nematodes etc. Soil borne pest are very difficult to eliminate and also very difficult to see since they slowly damage the plants or fruit trees from the root zone and the symptoms on the surface are more or less similar to symptoms of Nutrient deficiencies. Root knot Nematodes infects the host tree or plant with fungal and bacterial disease which may eventually kill the tree.

Management of Soil Borne and Air borne pests: Soil borne pests and Air borne pests can be managed with the use of both organic pesticides and inorganic pesticides.

Organic Pesticides: Organic pesticides are pesticides made from naturally occurring chemicals. Neem oil and Insecticidal soaps are popular examples of organic pesticides. Neem oil is an oil extract from the seeds of the neem tree, while Insecticidal soap is an organic product made of potassium salts of fatty acids and is derived from plant oils. Organic pesticides are not as effective as inorganic pesticides, in most cases they do not kill the pests they simply disrupt their activities for a short while which could just be few hours or few days.

In-Organic Pesticides:  In organic pesticides are pesticides made from man-made chemicals in laboratories.  In Organic pesticides can be very harmful to humans if not properly handled or used. In-organic pesticides are made to kill the pests and also destroy their eggs and larvae. Examples of In-organic pesticides chemical composition are Imidacloprid, Spirotetramat, Abamecticn, Lamda Cyhaiothrin, Thiamethoxan, Cypermethrin, Gamalin-20 etc.

These in-organic pesticides are grouped into the following;

 A, Insecticides for pests that are insects that are insects like White flies, Thrips, Ants, Moths, Grasshoppers, Scale insects, Leaf footed bugs, Aphids, Caterpillars, Leaf Miners etc. Examples of in organic insecticide chemical composition are Imidacloprid, Spirotetramat, Abamecticn, Lamda Cyhaiothrin, Thiamethoxan, Cypermethrin, Gamalin-20, Fluopyram etc.

B, Acaricides for pests that are not insects but Anthropoids like mites and spiders, ticks. Examples of In -organic Acaricide chemicals are Abamectin

C, Nematicides for pest that are Nematodes like the Guava root knot Nematodes.  Examples of in organic Nematicides are Fluopyram (Safe for human use),  Cabofuran (These has been banned in many countries)

Fungal Disease: Fungal disease are fairly easy to see on infected trees and fruits. They appear as discolorations or necrotic spots on the leaves and fruits, in some cases the parts or all of the fruits start to decay. Fungal diseases are more common during the raining season as the fungal spores are easily spread by the splashing rainfall. Some fungal disease causes rapid defoliation of trees which may be fatal to the tree. Examples of fungal disease are Leaf Spot, Leaf Blight, Anthracnose, Powdery Mildew, Fruit Rot, Phomopsis etc.

Bacterial Disease: Bacterial disease are much more difficult to diagnose since they show symptoms similar to fungal diseases.  Bacterial infection in plants may show up as specks, spots and blights on leaves or cankers wilt and galls on stems. Bacterial disease in plants can be transmitted by rain splash, wind driven rain fall, insects, birds, animals and agricultural equipment that has not been disinfected. Examples of Bacterial disease in plants are Bacterial blight, Wilt, Gummosis etc.

Management of Fungal and Bacterial infection in plants: Fungal and bacterial infection can be managed with the use of both organic and inorganic fungicides and bactericides

Organic Fungicides Bactericides: Organic fungicides and Bactericides are fungicides made from naturally occurring chemicals. Examples of Organic Fungicides are Neem oil and baking soda, Neem oil is also a bactericide. Neem oil is one of the most popular organic fungicides. Neem oil is an oil extract from the seeds of the neem tree. However, Neem oil is very limited in it preventive and curative capabilities as a fungicide and Bactericides, However Neem Oil has proven to be a preventive fungicide for Anthracnose and a preventive bactericide for some bacteria fire blight. Organic Fungicides and Bactericides are not as effective as inorganic fungicide Bactericides, in most cases they do not kill the fungal spores they simply disrupt their activities for a short while which could just be few hours or few days.

In-Organic Fungicides and Bactericides:  In organic Fungicides and Bactericides are made from man-made chemicals in laboratories.  In Organic pesticides can be very harmful to humans if not properly handled or used. In-organic Fungicides and Bactericides are made to kill and destroy the Fungal spores and Bacteria. Most Fungicides and Bactericides have curative and preventive properties. Examples of In-organic Fungicide and Bactericide chemical composition are Azoxystrobin, Mancozeb, Carbendazim, Pyraclostrobin, Metalaxyl etc.