The importance of acaricides in the control of citrus leprosis mite and factors that interfere with the efficacy

Abstract

Citrus leprosis mite is an important pest to Brazilian citriculture. Due to the potential damage caused by the virus transmitted by this mite, synthetic acaricides are the main management strategy used by citrus growers to reduce the vector population. The current review aims to provide historical data on the use of acaricides to control the citrus leprosis mite and the main factors involved with the efficacy of these products. To get to know the main products that were and have been used to control the leprosis mite, we used scientific papers that studied the toxic effect caused by pesticides on these mites. From 1959 to nowadays, more than 200 papers have been published demonstrating acaricide efficacy on the leprosis mite. Although there are several acaricides registered to control the leprosis mite (abamectin, amitraz, acrinathrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, etoxazole, hexythiazox, flufenoxuron, spirodiclofen, cyflumetofen, chlorfenapyr, fenbutatin oxide, propargite, fenpyroximate, pyridaben, and sulfur), their effectiveness will be determined by factors inherent to the products, application (quality of the spray water, plant coverage by sprayed acaricide, addition of adjuvants, and tank mixture), and biological factors of the pest (biotic potential, short life cycle, reproduction type, initial infestation level, reproduction type, and evolution of mite resistance). The use of synthetic acaricides is a control option that generates short-term results for the citrus grower. However, the association with other control measures will allow more satisfactory results for the pathosystem. Additionally, information on factors that interfere with the effectiveness of acaricides needs to be generated and made available to citrus growers.