For cantaloupes, insecticide treatment is recommended if an average of 3 larvae per leaf is found. It is important to identify the predominant leafminer adult species present as L. trifolii can be much more difficult to control with insecticides than L. sativae. Includes. They also feed on bean, pea, corn, and the blossoms of several wild and cultivated plants. Biological pest control Natural enemies. Inkata Press; and Liriomyza huidobrensis (serpentime leafminer), Liriomyza brassicae (serpentine leafminer (2018), Liriomyza sativae (vegetable leaf miner) (2018) and Liriomyza trifolii (American serpentine leafminer) (2018) Crop Protection Compendium. They look terrible but rarely cause serious problems, so try not to worry about leaf miner activity. The adult leafminer is a small fly (Figure 11), about 1/8 to 1/10 of an inch long with a yellow abdomen. Insecticides are not very effective for leafminer control. Insect pests of watermelon: A number of insect species including caterpillars, mites and thrips can cause damage to the plants but are readily controlled using registered insecticides. Nairobi, Kenya December 10, 2020. For cantaloupes, insecticide treatment is recommended if an average of 3 larvae per leaf is found. can be much more difficult to control with insecticides than . Liriomyza trifolii; also, see Fact Sheet no. Photo 1. Reflective film mulches, millet barriers, and pesticides: effects on watermelon mosaic virus, insects, nematodes, soil-borne fungi, and yield of yellow summer squash. Agricultural pests and harmful fungi, viruses and bacteria can attack your crop at any time. Leafminer damage has little impact on plant growth but can be quite destructive to vegetables grown for edible greens. Characteristic white mines or trails of the vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae, on the upper surface of watermelon leaves. Leafminer flies (Diptera: Agromyzidae) are important agricultural pests worldwide. American Serpentine leafminer is also a significant pest of chrysanthemums and is common in greenhouses. Leaf miner larvae tunnel through the lamina of the tomato leaf eating the chlorophyll-rich mesophyll cells as they go. Hanna HY, Story RN, Adams AJ. Management guidelines were suggested for the complex of watermelon pests based on field studies (W. C. Mitchell, personal communication). Gallery Leaf Miner On Watermelon Plant Pests. Article Sources. Cultivation between rows should be shallow to avoid injury to the root system. Larvae develop on these and related cucurbits. For cantaloupes, insecticide treatment is recommended if an average of 3 larvae per leaf is found. Leafminers have been spotted feeding through “mines” of dead leaf tissue. For older watermelon plants, chemical treatment is recommended if an average of 5 live larvae per leaf is found. Leaf Miner On Watermelon. These programs utilizes conservation of natural enemies as the main control tactic. The body is covered with long, stiff bristles. Watermelon will yield best if grown in a light, well-draining soil, rich in organic matter and with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. For older watermelon plants, chemical treatment is recommended if an average of 5 live larvae per leaf is found. Burning the left over plant materials is the best option in order to kill any leafminer pupa or larvae that may remain. However, the indiscriminate use of broadspectrum pesticides disrupts the natural control resulting in major leafminer outbreaks. Spinach leafminer feeds mostly on spinach, beet, and Swiss chard. The koinobiont parasitoid Halticoptera circulus (Walker) is a potential biological control agent of leafminers, but it has only rarely been collected from the invasive leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess), in Japan. Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science 102:11–15. Pest description and crop damage Adults are small black to gray flies with yellow markings. American serpentine leafminer, serpentine leafminer, broad bean leafminer, celery leafminer, chrysanthemum leafminer. In early season while plants are still actively growing, natural enemies may provide sufficient control. On top of that, they can show up in almost any region of the U.S. Note(s) Control with insecticides is difficult. If it bothers you and is limited to a few leaves, you can always pick them off. Watermelon leaves will look as if something has painted white, wandering lines across their surfaces and may have white blotches to go along with these tunnels. L. sativae. Prices and download plans . for leafminer control in the Kahuku area. Pea leafminer populations developed insecticide resistance when exposed to intensive spraying for tomato leafminer control in coastal locations of Peru and Chile. Leafminers have been occasionally reported as a major pest in South Florida. 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