EFFICIENCY OF NEEM OIL ON CITRUS LEPROSIS MITE Brevipalpus phoenicis (GEIJSKES, 1939) CONTROL

Abstract

In order to determine the efficiency of neem oil on citrus leprosis mite, Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), control, a laboratory test was conducted in Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil, using a completely randomized design, with six treatments and six repetitions. Each plot was formed by one orange fruit (Pêra Rio variety). An area with 4 cm of diameter was delimited in each fruit, using Tanglefoot® adhesive. The methodology consisted in submerging each fruit of each treatment in the solution prepared with neem oil (Nim-I-Go®), with 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% v/v; cyhexatin, with 0.025% v/v; and a check submerged in water. After 30 minutes of submersion, eight mites were placed in each fruit and evaluations were made after 24, 48, and 72 hours, determining the mite survival, mortality rate, and mites adhered to the glue. It was found that neem oil, at 1.5% v/v, showed high efficiency to control B. phoenicis on orange fruits, also obtaining the largest number of mites adhered to the glue. It may be concluded that, at this concentration, the product showed repellence action. Under laboratory conditions, the neem oil was effective for citrus leprosis mite control.

KEY-WORDS: Citrus leprosis mite; Azadirachta indica.