Question

The dots.   QUESTION: Hey.
I have Tulasi [Holy Basil] plants at home. Recently they started dying all of a sudden with some strange yellowish-white spots appearing on leaves and branches. Leaves start going brown and shrivelling, and gradually the entire plant just dies. Unstoppably. The infection is spread all over the Garden, but only on Tulasi plants. Please help.
The plants are of all ages and sizes, and are placed in a partly covered terrace/verandah kind of place. They get sunlight from all directions. I have city water.
PS: I live in India.

ANSWER: Vipluv,
They have an insect called mealy bugs which hides under the cottony looking spot. You need to get some isopropyl alcohol and mix it half & half with water then put it in a sprayer and spray all your plants. I would spray all the plants making sure I got the fronts and backs of all leaves and the surface of the soil every 3 days for up to a month or until all the plants seem healthy again. Make sure there is plenty of room for air to circulate between them and that they are getting some sun and do not keep them constantly wet. Being too wet promotes poor growth and mealy bugs attack less healthy growth. Water only in the morning so the plants are dry before sunset. The alcohol in the spray will kill the insects. You need to spray every 3 days before eggs hatch and those bugs mature and lay more eggs. Good luck.

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Um...
Sorry but are you totally sure? Because i read another question on your site which was also related to mealy bugs, and that image looked a little different. Also, the white things on my plants aren't exactly fluffy or soft-they hold their shape and break open if squeezed, like seeds. They contain a yellowish liquid.
So are they mealy bugs for sure? I don't mean to doubt, but these plants are really important to us...

Answer
Vipluv,

Your picture was rather blurry so it was hard to tell but now with your description I am sure that you have insects called scale. Mealy bugs are a type of scale that hides under bits of cottony looking fluff. Scale hides under a hard shell that is exactly like your description. When they first hatch they do not have a hard shell for about 3 days. Use the alcohol but only mix 2 parts of alcohol with 1 part water. Then follow the instructions exactly. I have read about Holy Basil and I understand the importance. This insect will continue to spread if you don't treat it soon.Good luck.

Darlene