Effect of temperature on biology of Citrus Leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) under lab conditions

Abstract

Citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, recently has become a serious pest in Iran, especially in citrus nurseries. This study was aimed to assess the effect of temperature on the biological parameters of the P. citrella at three constant temperatures: 20, 27 and 35°C, 70±10% RH, photoperiod of 14: 10 (L: D) and on seedlings of Citrus sinensis cultivar Valencia as host. Results showed significant reduction in incubation period from 6.22 at 20°C to 2.18 days at 35°C and adversely mortality increase from 7 to 21% at 20 and 35°C, respectively. Larval period was 8.06, 5.26 and 4.14 days and pupal period was 11.18, 6.86 and 5.03 days at 20, 27 and 35°C, respectively. The highest mortality in both larval and pupal periods was observed at 35°C (11.4 and 15.8%, respectively). Both females and males lived longer at 20°C (9.31 and 7.38 days) and shorter at 35°C (5.38 and 4.21 days, respectively). Moth emergence rate was the highest at 27°C (female: 82.2% and male: 84.5%). The sex ratio for the offspring was 1:1.2, 1:1.4 and 1:1.3 male: female at 20, 27 and 35 °C, respectively.

Keywords

• citrus leaf miner
• phyllocnistis citrella
• developmental time
• mortality