Management of citrus rust mite, Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) using new acaricidal molecules

Studies on efficacy of new acaricides were carried out under laboratory and field conditions against citrus rust mite (Phyllocoptruta oleivora). The nine treatments of fungi along with acaricides evaluated under laboratory conditions, showed the highest mortality (96.30 & 94.70%) in fenazaquin 10EC (2 ml l⁻¹) followed by propergite 57EC (93.70 & 94.30%) on leaves and fruits after nine days of treatment. The fungi, Fusarium semitectum and Hirsutella thompsonii showed 79.30 and 78.70 and 82.30 and 80.70 per cent reduction of mite population at 2.3 x 10⁹ and 4.6 x 10⁸ spores ml⁻¹ on leaves and fruits, respectively. However, the least (73.70 & 70.79%) mortality was recorded in the treatment wettable sulphur 80 WP (3g l⁻¹). In field conditions too, the highest mortality (90.89 & 90.79%) was obtained in fenazaquin 10EC (2 ml l⁻¹) on leaves and fruits after nine days of treatment. Propergite 57EC (1.5 ml l⁻¹) and diafenthiuron 50 WP (1.2 ml l⁻¹) were the next best (86.32 & 90.39 &87.79 & 83.28%). The treatment, F. semitectum at 2.3 x 10⁹ spores ml⁻¹ showed 49.84 and 42.36 per cent mortality on leaves and fruits, being the least effective. F. semitectum + dicofol (0.02%) and H. thompsonii (4.6 x 10⁸ spores ml⁻¹) recorded 54.04 and 43.70 and 50.43 and 49.21 per cent mortality.