Control of Citrus Leafminer Using Mineral Oil in Mazandaran and Its Effects on Predatory Phytoseiid Mites

The effect of mineral spray oil (MSO) and imidacloprid were compared to control Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lep: Gracillariidae) and Panonychus citri and Phytoseiid predatory mites populations. The first experiment, the average number of mines per leaf by citrus leaf miner larvae in MSO treatment with 700 ml per 100 litres of water, imidacloprid (4 cc/2litres of water) and control were 0.27, 0.37 and 2.95, respectively. Percent larval mortality were 51.85, 37.83 and 26.10% , respectively and Percent pupae were 47.09, 59.4 and 73.8, respectively. The average number of mines per citrus leaf miner larvae in MSO treatments with 900 ml per 100 litres of water, imidacloprid (4 cc/2litres of water) and control were obtained 0.09, 0.3 and 2.9, respectively. Percent larvae mortality were 77.57, 60.06 and 26.1%, respectively and Percent pupae were 11.01, 36.23 and 75.32%, respectively. The second experiment, average number of eggs and developmental stages of Panonychus citri in control using imidacloprid at all sampling dates was significantly higher than the MSO spraying. On the other hand, the number of eggs and developmental stages of Phytoseiid predatory mites in MSO spraying were significantly higher than control using imidacloprid. The results showed that mineral oil was able to control citrus leafminer sufficiently and could be replaced the imidaclopridic pesticide in citrus orchards of Mazandaran province.