Update on Citrus
Integrated Pest
Management
David Kerns
University of Arizona
Yuma Agricultural Center
Yuma, AZ
Mites
Citrus red mite
Texas citrus mite
Two-spotted spider mite
Yuma spider mite
Citrus flat mite
Texas Citrus Mite
Eutetranychus banksi
Favors cool low humidity
conditions.
Occurs most years.
Most common from
February until June.
Large mite, males have
very long legs.
Feeds on upper leaf
surface; occasionally the
fruit.
Do not produce webbing.
Damage
Foliar feeding causes
stippling and leaf
discoloration.
High populations can
cause leaf abscission.
Under high
populations they will
often infest and feed
on the fruit causing
rind scarring.
Control
Sustained temperatures above 100oF will quickly
reduce Texas citrus mite populations.
An entomogeneous fungi, Neozygites floridana,
commonly causes epizootics.
Probably not necessary to treat populations
relegated to the leaves
– Foliar mites in Florida, 15 mites per leaf threshold.
– Arizona, 10% infested fruit.
Citrus Red Mite
Panonychus citri
Favors cool low humidity
conditions.
Usually not common.
Most common from February
until June; sometimes in the
fall.
Fairly large mite with a velvet
red body and prominent long
reddish bristles on tubercles.
Feeds on upper leaf surface;
occasionally the fruit.
Do not produce webbing.
Damage
Foliar feeding causes
pale stippling and leaf
discoloration.
High populations can
cause leaf abscission.
Under high
populations they will
often infest and feed
on the fruit causing
rind silvering and
scarring.
Control
Sustained temperatures above 100oF will
quickly reduce citrus red mite populations.
An entomogeneous fungi commonly
causes epizootics following rain events.
Probably not necessary to treat
populations relegated to the leaves
– Foliar mites in Florida, 15 mites per leaf
threshold.
– Arizona, 10% infested fruit.
Citrus Flat Mite
Brevipalpus lewisi
Heat tolerant mite.
Common every year.
Most abundant from July
through September, but
can be found almost year
round.
Very small mites; the
immature mites are bright
red.
Found on the leaves, but
prefer the fruit.
Do not produce webbing.
Damage
Citrus flat mite prefers to feed on
the fruit in locations where some
sort of damage has already
occurred; spreading the damage.
Damage to fruit less than 1 inch in
diameter is very similar to citrus
thrips.
Feeding by citrus flat mite tends to
be more irregular in shape than
thrips damage.
Damage to fruit 1 to 2 inches
causes a brownish, corky and
scab like appearance.
Damage to larger fruit will appear
similar, but may not be evident
until the fruit has been fumigated.
Control
Miticides maybe necessary when 10% of
the fruit less than 1 inch in diameter is
infested.
Or when fruit 1 to 2 inches in diameter
average 3 to 5 mites per fruit.
Or when larger fruit averages 20 mites per
fruit.
Twospotted Spider Mite
Tetranychus urticae
Very heat tolerant.
Occasionally problematic.
Most frequent in August and
September.
Feed primarily on the
undersides of leaves but
higher populations can be
found on the tops and on the
fruit (usually between fruit
clusters).
Produce a profuse amount of
webbing.
Similar in appearance to the
Yuma mite, but generally more
greenish in color with
translucent eggs.
Damage
Foliar feeding causes
yellow speckling and leaf
reddening.
High populations can
cause leaf abscission
which is most severe in
groves suffering heat and
water stress.
Under high populations
they will often infest and
feed on the fruit causing
russetting or brown
scabbing to the rind.
Control
Probably not necessary to treat
populations relegated to the leaves
– Foliar mites in Florida, 15 mites per leaf
threshold.
– Arizona
10% the fruit less than 1 inch in diameter is
infested.
When larger fruit averages 3 to 5 mites per fruit.
Yuma Spider Mite
Eotetranychus yumensis
Favors warm, dry, dusty
conditions.
Common most years.
Most abundant from January
through June, but can often be
found in July, and in the fall.
Omnivorous and will feed on
plants and other arthropods.
Prefers to feed on the
underside of leaves and
produces a light webbing.
Difficult to distinguish from the
two-spotted mite, but is usually
more “pinkish” and has peachcolored eggs.
Damage
Foliar feeding causes
pale stippling and leaf
discoloration.
High populations can
cause leaf abscission.
Under high
populations they will
often infest and feed
on the fruit causing
rind pitting and
scarring.
Yuma Spider Mite
Recommendations
Ignore or conserve them when relegated to the
leaves.
– Predaceous habit far outweighs minor leaf damage.
– Mature citrus can withstand a great deal of foliar
damage.
Treat with a miticide when they move to the fruit
in significant numbers.
– Foliar mites in Florida, 15 mites per leaf threshold.
– Arizona
10% the fruit less than 1 inch in diameter is infested.
When larger fruit averages 3 to 5 mites per fruit.
Chemical Control of Mites
Texas Citrus Mites / 20 leaves
200
a
150
a
a
100
b
50
0
b
bc
c c c
b
b
bc
c
c
bc
3 DAT
b
b
b
b
b
b
bb
6 DAT
b
b
bb
b
b b
11 DAT
O-1077
Agri-Mek
Danitol
Envidor
Kanemite
Kelthane
Microthiol
Nexter
Vendex
Untreated
Citrus Thrips Research
Pyrethroid Use
Use only in early
Spring.
Do not use when
temperatures exceed
95oF.
Rotation Test, 2003
Application #1
Application #2
Application #3
Danitol 21oz
Success 6 oz
Carzol 1.25 lbs
Baythroid 6.4 oz Success 6 oz
Carzol 1.25 lbs
Dimeth. 2 lbs-ai Success 6 oz
Carzol 1.25 lbs
Success 6 oz
Carzol 1.25 lbs Success 6 oz
Carzol 1.25 lbs
Success 6 oz
Success 6 oz
Surround 35 lbs Surround 35 lbs Surround 35 lbs
Untreated
Untreated
Untreated
Rotation Test, 2003
*Carzol
* Success
*Success
*Surround *Success *Carzol
30
Untreated
Danitol
Baythroid
Dimethoate
Success
Carzol
Surround
% infested fruit
25
20
15
10
5
0
05/05/03
05/19/03
06/02/03
06/16/03
06/30/03
Pyrethroid Efficacy 2003
50
Untreated
Danitol
Baythroid
Zeta-cyper(L)
Zeta-cyper(H)
Success
% infested fruit
40
30
20
10
0
05/05/03
05/19/03
06/02/03
06/16/03
06/30/03
Predaceous Mites
Tydeus sp.
Yuma Spider Mite
Yuma Spider Mite
New Pyrethroid Recommendations
Use only one
application of any
pyrethroid per
season.
Use Danitol for thrips
control only when
mites are also
problematic.
Use Baytrhoid when
targeting only thrips.
New Thrips Control Methods
Experimental Insecticides
Name
Chemical MOA
Rates
Hexacide Rosemary Octopamine 2 lbs-ai/ac
oil
neuroreceptor
inh.
S-1812 Pyridanil Not reported 0.15, 0.20 &
0.30 lbs-ai/ac
LabsNot
Feeding
200 &
140-F01 reported paralysis
400 g-ai/ha
Experimentals Test
25
Untreated
Hexicide
S-1812(L)
S-1812(M)
S-1812(H)
Labs-140(L)
Labs-140(H)
Success
% infested fruit
20
15
10
5
0
05/05/03
05/19/03
06/02/03
06/16/03
06/30/03
Particle Films
Particle Films vs Standard, 2002
1
1, 2, 3
1, 2
Surround 50 lbs/ac, 2Snow 80 lbs/ac, 3Baythroid 6.4oz/ac
4
Danitol 21 oz/ac, 5Success 8oz/ac
1+4, 2+4, 4
5
12
1" fruit
Surround
Snow
Standard
% infested fruit
10
8
6
4
2
7/
22
/0
2
7/
8/
02
6/
24
/0
2
6/
10
/0
2
5/
27
/0
2
5/
13
/0
2
4/
29
/0
2
4/
15
/0
2
4/
1/
02
0
Particle Films
1st Harvest, #9
Strip Harvest
30
Bins per acre
25
20
15
10
5
0
Snow
Surround
Standard
Woolly Whitefly
(Aleurothrixus floccocus)
Foliar Insecticides
Foliar WWF Test
Treatment
Rate
Esteem
10 oz/ac
Provado
19 oz/ac
Applaud
0.5 lbs/ac
Danitol + Dimethoate
Untreated
16 oz/ac + 2 lbs-ai/ac
Impact on Eggs
Untreated
Esteem 10oz
Applaud 0.5 lbs
Provado 19oz
Dan 16oz + Dim 2 LAA
600
Eggs per leaf
500
400
300
200
100
0
8/18/03
8/25/03
9/1/03
9/8/03
9/15/03
9/22/03
Impact on Nymphs
350
Nymphs per leaf
300
250
Untreated
Esteem 10oz
Applaud 0.5 lbs
Provado 19oz
Dan 16oz + Dim 2 LAA
200
150
100
50
0
8/18/03
8/25/03
9/1/03
9/8/03
9/15/03
9/22/03
Impact on Eclosed Pupae
120
Untreated
Esteem 10oz
Applaud 0.5 lbs
Provado 19oz
Dan 16oz + Dim 2 LAA
Eclosed pupae per leaf
100
80
60
40
20
0
8/18/03
8/25/03
9/1/03
9/8/03
9/15/03
9/22/03
Admire for Woolly Whitefly
Admire at 16 & 32 oz/ac injected 8 inches at 9 gal/ac volume
Impact on Adults
6
Untreated
Adm-16oz
Adm-32oz
Adults per leaf
5
4
3
Injected
6/23/03
2
1
0
pre
23
30
38
44
50
DAT
58
64
71
78
84
Impact on Eggs
50
Untreated
Adm-16oz
Adm-32oz
Eggs per leaf
40
30
Injected
6/23/03
20
10
0
pre
23
30
38
44
50
DAT
58
64
71
78
84
Impact on Nymphs
10
Nymphs per leaf
8
Untreated
Adm-16oz
Adm-32oz
Injected
6/23/03
6
4
2
0
pre
23
30
38
44
50
DAT
58
64
71
78
84
Impact on Eclosed Pupae
60
Untreated
Adm-16oz
Adm-32oz
Eclosed pupae per leaf
50
40
30
Injected
6/23/03
20
10
0
pre
23
30
38
44
50
DAT
58
64
71
78
84
Woolly Whitefly / Citrus Thrips
Population Dynamics
500
Woolly whitefly
Citrus thrips
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Citrus thrips per plate
Woolly whitefly emergence
600
Key to WWF Management is
Biocontrol
There are a number of
naturally occurring
parasitoids that prey on
WWF in Arizona.
An Eretmocerus sp.
appears to be the primary
parasitoid, and appears
to be key to sustainable
WWF management.
A number of predators
including lacewings and
mites have been
observed feeding on
WWF.
Eretmocerous sp.
Insecticide Choices
Current recommendations for
woolly whitefly management
Spring
– use oils to suppress WWF
populations.
– avoid harsh insecticides for
thrips when WWFs are
present, ie use Success.
Summer
500
Woolly whitefly
Citrus thrips
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Citrus thrips per plate
Use only ground applications.
On large trees or tight groves,
use high spray volumes 200400 gpa.
600
Woolly whitefly emergence
– primarily adults present - use
Provado or Danitol / OP tank
mixes (hard on beneficials).
– when large numbers of
immatures begin to appear, –
use Esteem or Applaud.
Citrus Mealybug Management
Traditional Control
Lorsban
Supracide
Interfere with natural
control
– Anagraphus sp.
Mealybug Test
Treatment
Rate
Applaud – 1 application
1 lbs/ac
Applaud – 1 application
2 lbs/ac
Applaud – 2 applications
1 lbs/ac
Applaud – 2 applications
2 lbs/ac
Untreated
Applaud Efficacy
**
**
2000
Untreated
Applaud 1 lbs
Applaud 2 lbs
Applaud 1 lbs-2
Applaud 2 lbs-2
1800
Mealybugs per fruit
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
6/16/03
6/30/03
7/14/03
7/28/03
8/11/03
8/25/03