Aplicaciones terrestres de bajo volumen con abamectin y spinosad para el control químico del minador de los cítricos en limoneros

the citrus leafminer, phyllocnistis citrella, produces direct damages affecting new flushes of young trees, and indirect ones, since the wounds produced on the leaves by the leafminer represent an entry way for the bacterium responsible for citrus canker. this indirect damage has motivated citrus farmers to control leafminer on adult trees. the aim of this work was to evaluate leafminer control using low volume applications of abamectin and spinosad with mineral oil on adult trees. low volume applications were performed during three consecutive citrus cropping seasons on seven-year-old lemon trees, using 2 l of solution per tree. evaluated treatments were: abamectin (1.8 g a. i. /ha) and spinosad (24 g a. i. /ha), both combined with mineral oil and compared to a non treated control. two applications per year were made with 15-day intervals. weekly samples were picked up to evaluate the percentage of leaves with live larvae. foliar damage was estimated at the end of the study from previously marked flushes. abamectin and spinosad controlled the pest during 14 days and the percentage of foliar damage was lower than 3.5%. citrus leafminer control by both treatments allows us to switch products, taking advantage of two active ingredients and avoiding possible resistance problems.