The relationship between damage by citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella
Stainton, and Tahiti' lime yield were investigated in a 15-yr-old and a 5-
yr-old lime orchard. Citrus leafminer population densities were controlled
by insecticide applications of abamectin plus FC 435 oil, abamectin plus FC
435 oil plus imidacloprid. and methomyl. The control was not treated. To en
sure adequate citrus leafminer densities, adult citrus leafminer were perio
dically released in the experimental plots during fall and winter. For the
15-yr-old trees, the least amount of leaf area damage occurred in the abame
ctin plus FC 435 oil plus imidacloprid (1.9%) and the abamectin plus FC435
oil (2.3%) treatments compared with the control treatment (10-21%). In the
5-yr-old orchard, the least amount of leaf area damaged occurred in the aba
mectin plus FC435 oil plus imidacloprid (0.4%) and the imidacloprid (0.1%)
treatments compared with the control (20.85%). The percentage of leaf area
damaged was linearly correlated with the average number of mines per leaf,
average mine days, and cumulative mine days in both orchards. In both orcha
rds, the percentage of leaf area damaged and cumulative mine days was linea
rly correlated with the number of fruit per tree and total fruit weight per
tree. Calculating the economic injury levels indicated that 16-23% and 18-
85% of leaf area damaged caused significant yield reductions in 15-yr-old a
nd 5-yr-old trees, respectively.