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Farmers and gardeners must know the types and methods of controlling pests and diseases of citrus plants before starting planting.
Because no matter how good the fertilizer is, if the pests are not eradicated, the tree’s growth will of course be hampered.
The effect is that farmers will certainly fail to harvest. Even plants will die without producing the slightest profit. For this reason, it is necessary to control citrus pests.
Also Read: How to Cultivate Lime Plants
So, for the following plant article, we will explain the types of pests and how to control them.
Types and Methods of Controlling Citrus Plant Pests
Before taking control or eradication measures, you must first know what types of citrus plant pests are.
Because control is different for one pest and another pest. Here are the types and methods of controlling citrus plant pests in question:
1. Fleas
The first type of citrus plant pest is the psyllid. This is an animal that likes to attack leaves.
Especially young citrus plant leaves or shoots. Although sometimes these animals also attack flower buds.
If citrus leaves are attacked by psyllids, the leaves usually become curly.
Over time it will wilt and die. If these animals are large in number and not immediately controlled, the orange leaves will completely disappear.
The control methods that must be carried out are:
- To control psyllids, insecticides are needed. Usually the type used is Roxion or Rogon 40 EC. If not found, you can use Monocrotophos. Make sure the spraying method is correct. At least a few moments before the plants sprout or a few moments after. Don’t forget to throw away any damaged leaves or shoots.
2. Leaf aphid
In addition to aphids, citrus plants are also sometimes attacked by other aphids called aphids.
As the name suggests, this animal will attack leaves, both young and old.
Symptoms of leaves being eaten by fleas are that the leaves become wilted and shriveled. Sometimes the leaves even curl which makes the plant no longer lush.
Apart from psyllids, aphids are also pests of citrus plants that must be dealt with as soon as possible.
Because if it is late, fruit development will be hampered. It will be very difficult for even oranges to bear fruit.
The control methods that must be carried out are:
- Spray Methidathion type insecticide. This is an active substance that is thought to kill aphids and prevent their spread. To spray this substance you need the right dose. Because if the levels are excessive, the leaves will wilt due to heat. Meanwhile, if the dose is less, the effect is usually not optimal.
- Apart from that, please collaborate with the method above by carrying out good plant sanitation. The way to do this is by trimming the leaves so that they are not too dense. This can also be used as a means to get rid of these stubborn pests.
3. Leaf Weevils
Leaf-mining caterpillars are citrus plant pests that must be eradicated completely. Because the spread of this animal is very fast, if it spreads, the orange tree will die.
Don’t expect farmers to get a satisfactory harvest if these animals have attacked their plants. Instead the leaves wilt and fall.
As the name suggests, this animal often attacks plants on the leaves.
Especially those that are still young shoots or leaves. However, it turns out that there are also cases of leaf-boring caterpillars attacking fruit.
The control methods that must be carried out are:
- For leaf-miner caterpillars, the way to control them apart from spraying insecticides is to keep the plants clean. Make sure there are no parasites or parasites attached to the leaves. Because this also has the potential to hamper plant growth.
- The insecticides used usually contain the active substances Malathion and Dianizon. These are not used together but one is an alternative to the other. So if you don’t find Malathion, you can spray insecticide made from Dianizon. Please ask the seller first for the dosage to avoid excessive heating.
4. Mites
Mites are citrus plant pests that not only attack the leaves but also the fruit. This pest causes farmers to fail to harvest. Even though the harvest time has arrived.
If fruit is attacked by mites, there are usually brownish cat spots on the surface.
Sometimes in the middle of the spot there is a small hole. So, please open it and you will see there is an animal inside.
If all the fruit contains mites and the holes are filled with caterpillars, of course the fruit can no longer be saved. The point is, farmers must be prepared to accept the fact that their harvest is no longer satisfactory.
Control methods that must be carried out are:
- Spray Propargite insecticide. Don’t forget to burn rotten fruit before the pests spread.
Types and Methods of Controlling Citrus Plant Diseases
Apart from pests, disease is also something you have to pay attention to because it can drastically reduce production and growth.
The types and methods of controlling citrus plant diseases that must be known before cultivation is carried out are:
1. Sadness
Symptoms caused by tristeza disease are that the leaves turn stiff with a pale color and leaf development is hampered.
Please note that this disease occurs due to attacks from Citrus tristeza virus with Toxoptera vector.
Control methods that can be used to overcome this type of disease are:
- Land cleaning or sanitation to avoid infection of this disease to other plants.
- Dispose of infected plant parts by cutting them and then burning them or burying them so that they do not spread from one plant to another
- Using vector control with insecticides Supracide or Cascade
2. CVPD
The symptoms caused by this disease start from the leaves being narrow, small and pointed, while the fruit is shrinking, sour and also has seeds that are not supposed to be with an orange base.
This disease is caused by Bacterium like organisms with the vector psyllid Diaphorina citri.
Ways that can be done to control this disease are:
- Use plants that are healthy and free from CVPD
- Maintain good garden sanitation so that there are no living vectors that can cause this disease.
Also Read: How to Control CVPD Disease
3. Cancer
Cancer is caused by bacteria Xanthomonas campestris Cv. Citri. The parts attacked by this type of disease are the fruit, stems and leaves.
The symptoms that arise start from small spots that have a dark green or yellow color along the edges. Then slowly the wound caused by this cancer enlarges to a diameter of 3 to 5 mm.
Control methods that can be carried out are as follows:
- Using fungicide The Lakesana Bordeux Bubur.
4. C. Woody gall (Vein Enation)
The cause of this disease is the Citrus Vein Energen virus with a vector Toxoptera citridus, Aphis gossypii.
The parts attacked by this type of disease are the fruit and leaves.
Symptoms of attack begin with the presence of irregular protrusions spread across the leaves on the surface.
Control methods that can be carried out are by:
- By using eye patches that are free from viruses
- Environmental sanitation is carried out with the aim of avoiding infection
5. Blendok
The cause of this disease is the fungus Diplodia natalensis where the parts attacked are the trunk and branches.
The symptoms of this disease start from the axillary bark of the branches which produces a very unique gum that can attract the attention of beetles.
The color of the wood changes to grayish then the skin becomes dry and also peels.
Control methods that can be carried out are as follows:
- Infected plant parts are burned or buried.
- The cut marks are treated with carbon linum or fungicide so that this does not spread to other parts of the plant.
6. Scabies
The initial cause of scabies is caused by the fungus Sphaceloma fawcetti.
Where the parts attacked are the stalk, fruit and leaves. Symptoms of an attack begin with small spots that are yellow or orange in color.
Control can be done by:
- Regular pruning.
- If the attack is brutal or high, you can use a fungicide containing benomyl.
7. Upas Mushroom
This Upas fungal disease is a type of disease that attacks many citrus plants which is caused by the presence of an age that grows easily around plants such as Upasia salmonicolor.
The part affected is the stem. The symptoms of this disease are transverse cracks on the stem, then gum comes out, the stem becomes dry and difficult to peel.
Control methods that can be carried out are as follows:
- Infected plants are then given carbolineum fungicide
- If the attack continues, part of the stem can be cut off and then thrown away, burned or buried.
8. Rotten Fruit
The cause of fruit rot disease is Penicillium spp. Phytophtora citriphora, Botryodiplodia theobromae.
The part of the plant that is attacked is the fruit. Symptoms start from the presence of bluish green powder on the surface of the fruit skin.
Control methods that can be carried out are:
- Dip the fruit in hot water or water that has been mixed with benpmyl fungicide.
- By pruning, the growth of this disease will be hampered and will not easily spread to other healthy plants.
9. Root rot and stem base
This disease is caused by a fungus where the parts affected are the base of the stem and also the roots.
The symptoms that arise start from shoots that are not fresh and then result in plants that dry out and die.
Control methods that can be carried out are:
- Sterilize the soil during the planting period so that it can kill fungi that can cause disease
- Dispose of infected plants so that they do not spread to other plants by burning or burying them.
How?
That is a complete explanation of 13 types and methods of controlling citrus plant pests and diseases. Hopefully pests and diseases will no longer be a serious problem for those who want to cultivate citrus plants.
Also Read: Classification and Morphology of Citrus Plants
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