Leafminer
Leafminer (Liriomyza sp.) Leafminers are small dipteran insects (about 1-1.3mm long) and highly polyphagous pests.
What are the symptoms
Feeding punctures appear as white speckles between 0.13-0.15mm in diameter.
Leaf mines are usually long, linear and narrow greenish-white appear like 'serpentine' pattern.
Impact to the crop
High infestation and mining decrease the photosynthetic ability of the plants due to damaged chlorophyll-containing cells. Severely infested leaves may fall.
How to control
√ Yellow sticky traps may directly contribute to the population by trapping the adult leafminers.
√ Several insecticides are proven effective in suppressing leafminers, this includes cyantraniliprole, chlorantraniliprole, etc.
√ Control using different practices (integrated pest management) can effectively control the pest population.
Source: CABI. 2020. Liriomyza trifolii (American serpentine leafminer) datasheet. Invasive Species Compedium CAB International. Retrieved from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/30965
