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Queen Palm (Livistona rotundifolia) is cultivated extensively for both local and foreign ornamental markets with the desired characteristics of even and ever green, pest and disease free healthy palm and quality leaves. The root borer, Paraponyx stratiotata (Lepidoptera) is recently encountered on young palm roots and damaging them within. They emerged as a new pest on L. rotundifolia grown in all the area. Different entomopathogens were evaluated and determined the potential of Nomuroea rileyi selectively due to its greater infective ability. Field collected root borer larvae were reared and N. rileyi was evaluated both in-vitro and in net house conditions. Treatments comprising Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Trichoderma sp., N. rileyi, a standard check with 3% Carbofuran and water as a control were evaluated in potted seedlings (3 months old) of queen palms. Among the entomopathogens tested, N. rileyi was found more effective and recorded the best of 61% mortality. Subsequent experiment had been conducted with commercial bio-products alone or in combination with local isolates as treatments; N. rileyi, B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, B. bassiana + M. anisopliae, N. rileyi + M. anisopliae, N. rileyi+ B. bassiana, and water as a control were evaluated. Among these treatments N. rileyi was alone more effective than in combination with or other entomopathogens alone. In vitro study revealed LD50 of N. rileyi as best spore load of 1 x 10(8) spores/ml compare to other treatments. This proves the potential of N. rileyi on P. stratiotata. The application of N. rileyi had claimed not only to reduce the incidence of root damage but also to sustain the growth and vigor of the L. rotundifolia to most fit for exporting.

Queen palm, Livistona rotundifolia foliage contributes greatly in export industry. Red spider mite (RSM) (Tetranychus urticae) infests on the foliage and reduces its affordable market quality. T. urticae is found in dry environment and is one of the phytophagous mite belongs to family Tetranychidae. Different chemicals such as 80% sulphur + Diazinon @ (50g+12ml/10L) are recommended against red spider mite, but these have lesser effect on this tiny mite. Since these chemicals are not environment friendly, Green Farms Ltd., in Sri Lanka prefers to use biological agents for mite management. Extracts of Curcuma aeruginosa rhizome and Adhatoda vasica plant parts were studied separately causing mortality on T. urticae. Field experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of C. aruginosa extract for controlling RSM on L. rotundifolia leaves. Curcuma aruginosa was tested at concentrations of 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/L and a control with equal amount of water. C aruginosa extracts of different concentrations were treated six times at five days interval on the palms separately. Living spider mites and eggs were pre-counted in marked leaves before applying C. aruginosa extracts. Next count was taken a day prior to next spraying. The result revealed that all the concentrations except 2 g/L were found to be effective compared to control. However there was no difference between the concentrations from 5 to 25 g/L. Hence C. aruginosa rhizome extract at its lowest concentration of 5 g/L is equally effective for the control of RSM on L. rotundifolia leaves. In another experiment extracts of Adhatoda vasica bark, leaves, and flower and water as control were applied thrice with three days interval. Pre treatment counting of living spider mites and eggs were taken in marked leaves. Post count was taken a day prior to next spraying. Third and forth counting were done after three days and four weeks from final spraying respectively. The results revealed that bark, flowers were found to be more effective compared to control. Flowers and bark were the best and hence there is no need of third sprayings as almost all the spider mites population were eradicated after second spraying. Flower extraction showed best performance until three months since final spraying. Flower and bark extracts showed higher acaricidal property and leaf showed moderate acaricidal property.

Livistona rotundifolia is a widely grown queen palm in all the net houses of floriculture industries in Sri Lanka. It is grown to an extent of 10,000 mZ in Green Farms Ltd, Marawilla under shade net house. Root knot nematode is one among the key pests of queen palms and causes heavy loss in the queen palm industry. Queen palm is grown in a coir based compost media under sprinkler irrigation. Management of nematodes using chemicals is impractical due the non availability and selectivity of the nematicides available in the market. This study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of Trichoderma species to control root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita that damage L. rotundifolia and caused heavy loss at Green Farms Ltd, Marawilla. Experiments were conducted using organic amendments with T. viride + T. harzianum (1 x 10(10) cfu/ml) to control the nematodes. Carbofuran (3%) (2.5 g/750 ml pot with organic amendments), the only available pesticide with nematicidal property, was used as a standard check. Queen palm naturally infected with M. incognita was treated with Trichoderma species and the effect was compared with the carbofuran treatment. Standard procedures were adopted to count the nematodes in the pre and post treated queen palm plots. The results revealed that the application of mixture of T. viride and T. harzianum at 1 x 10(10) cfu/ml significantly reduced the nematode populations in the media and number of galls in the palms compare to Carbofuran treated palms. Eggs and juveniles of M. incognita were found infected with Trichoderma species under the in-vitro conditions. The population of M. incognita was started declining significantly 3 weeks after the first application of Trichoderma species in the field. The response was apparent in the palms treated with mixture of Trichoderma species and recovered within 3 months as a healthy and quality product with export standards.