2. Citrus leaf miner: Phyllocnistis citrella (Gracillaridae : Lepidoptera) 

Distribution and Status

Eastern Asia, North Australia and India.Serious in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Pakistan.

Host range

Citrus, Pommelo (Citrus maxima, Citrus grandis), willow, cinnamon, Loranthus spp.

Damage symptoms

Larva mines into the tender leaves and form zig-zag galleries while feeding on the epidermal cells leaving behind the remaining leaf tissues quite intact.  The infested leaves turn pale, get distorted and dry up.  The larval damage may lead to secondary infection by fungi and bacteria causing ‘citrus canker’.

Bionomics 
        
Female lays 36-76 eggs, 2-3 per leaf. Egg period 2-10 days. Larva pale yellow / pale green with light brown well developed mandibles, larval period 5-30 days. By the time larvae spin cocoons for pupation, leaves get twisted / folded over; pupal period 5-25 days. Adult tiny, silvery white moth with 4.3 mm wing expanse with fringed wings.

Management

• Spray NSKE 5% (50 g/L) or neem cake extract 5% or neem oil 3 % or imidacloprid 17.8 SL 125  ml per ha
• Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 1.0 L, dimethoate 2 .0 L per ha  
• Use 5-15 L of water per tree/1500-2000 L of water per ha

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