Control of Avocado Brown Mite, Oct 1979

Three acaricides were tested for efficacy against the avocado brown mite (ABM) and their effect on A. hibisci. Nine-yr-old avocado trees located in a commercial grove in San Diego County, CA, were treated on Oct 11. A randomzed block experimental design was used with 5 single-tree replicates. Applications were made by hand-gun with an FMC hydraulic orchard spray rig at 400 psi to run-off (ca 9 gal/tree = 900 gal/acre). Treated trees were separated by at least 1 untreated buffer tree both within and between rows. Fifteen leaves were randomly picked per tree for each post-treatment count. Leaves were selected at a height of 2-6 ft above ground and were examined with a dissecting microscope within 4 days of being picked for all motile stages of ABM and predacious mites.