Comparative evaluation of virgin coconut oil quality in whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus)-infested, treated and recovered coconut palms
1Department of Chemistry, Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women, Bhimavaram-534202, Andhra Pradesh, India. 2 Department of ECE, Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women, Bhimavaram-534202, Andhra Pradesh, India. 3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women, Bhimavaram-534202, Andhra Pradesh, India. Corresponding e-mail: kganeshkadiyala@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2026.v28i02.55
Whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus) infestation poses a serious threat to coconut production, reducing nut development and oil quality. This study assessed an integrated pest management (IPM) approach and its impact on virgin coconut oil (VCO) yield and quality. A total of 205 palms across 3.5 acres were categorized as infested, under treatment, or recovered. Interventions included application of castor oil-smeared yellow sticky traps (1 per 3 trees, recoated every 15 days), foliar sprays of 3% neem oil at 10-15-day intervals, and placed naphthalene balls at the crown region (upper canopy, non-contact with nuts) under expert guidance. Oil was extracted from two batches of 800 nuts per group (n = 2) and analyzed at Intertek Laboratory, Hyderabad (NABL/ISO 17025 accredited) using AOAC/ ISO methods. Yields increased from 5.0 ± 0.1 L/800 nuts (infested) to 10.0 ± 0.2 L (treated) and 12.0 ± 0.3 L (recovered). Acid value declined from 2.42 ± 0.04 to 0.50 ± 0.01 mg KOH/g, peroxide value from 1.40 ± 0.02 to <1.0 meq O?/kg, and moisture from 0.235 ± 0.007% to 0.145 ± 0.007%. Saponification and iodine values shifted within Codex and FSSAI ranges, interpreted as quality indicators rather than direct evidence of fatty acid changes. Results were benchmarked against APCC (2015) and Codex (2024) standards and aligned with recent evaluations of VCO processing quality (Nivya et al., 2023; Prasanna, 2024) and regional IPM strategies for whitefly suppression in coconut (Kolanthasamy et al., 2023; TNAU, 2025).
