Leaf Miner Damage

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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Jun 10, 2008

My Florida Red Navel has developed a bit of a problem with leaf miners.

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Post #5083757
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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Jun 10, 2008

Never realized that they could do so much damage. Any advice for the treatment of these things? At first I thought it was canker.

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Post #5083771
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oldude New Iberia, LA Jun 11, 2008

Tplant
The only way I know to prevent this is to have a regular horticultural oil spray program. The adult moth will not lay eggs on an oily leaf. I sometimes only spray the new growth because their preference is to lay eggs there.
Spinosad will kill the leafminer inside the leaf and some people squeeze the leaf to squash the miner inside. If the tunnel terminates at the edge of the leaf then it‘s too late since that is where they exit.
Agri-Mek works well with oil but it is terribly expensive. The good thing about Agri-Mek is that it will also take care of the mites.
Opinions vary greatly on removal of the leaf. Most advise to let the leaf stay on the tree since it is still functional at a diminished level, while others say to remove and destroy because it is a wound that can be used by other disease.
Older trees can cope with the damage but I have seen younger trees stunted by the attacks. This is one insect that boils my blood , so I visit each citrus tree in my orchard almost every day.
Some people have tried imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced Shrub and Tree Insect Killer) on non bearing citrus but this product is” NOT” labeled for citrus.
Admire which contains Imidacloprid is recommended for citrus as a soil drench.
Oldude

Post #5086899
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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Jun 11, 2008

Oldude -- My tree is a young one and about six feet tall but well branched. I have it in a large container because of our construction and will plant it when all is complete but that will take another year. Meanwhile I will search for "Admire" although I've never seen it at any of my nurseries. I know not to use any systemic sprays because of the effects. Hope I find it.

Post #5087080
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oldude New Iberia, LA Jun 11, 2008

Tplant
Admire is also expensive so you may want to find a farmer that will sell you a small quantity. You only need 1/16 oz per small tree and 1/8 oz per large tree in 10 oz of water applied to the soil. It is what the commercial growers use.
I am leaning towards using Admire myself since I have 14 citrus trees in my orchard. The Spinosad does work but it does not prevent the infestation. Spinosad is limited to 6 applications per year so the cost may offset the more expensive Admire product.
Oldude

Post #5087253
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Tplant Pembroke Pines, FL(Zone 10a) Jun 11, 2008

Wish we were closer? Woulds love to see your orchard.

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