What's eating my jaboticaba?

Jaboticaba is notably pest-resistant for a tropical fruit tree. Its main threats are scale insects and fruit flies on ripening cauliflorous fruit. Aphids occasionally colonise new growth and spider mites appear in dry conditions. Fungal diseases (rust, fruit rot) during wet weather can be more troublesome than insects.

Hard encrustations on trunk and stems (including cauliflorous fruiting bark); honeydew triggers sooty mould and reduces vigour. Apply horticultural oil spray; scrape isolated colonies; prune and destroy heavily infested wood.

Females sting ripening fruit on the trunk; maggots destroy flesh and trigger rapid rot of the small berries. Harvest fruit promptly when ripe; use protein-bait traps; remove fallen fruit daily from around the trunk.

Cluster on tender new shoots; cause leaf curl and excrete honeydew that promotes sooty mould. Knock off with a strong jet of water; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap; encourage parasitoid wasps.