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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #395130
Research Project: Mitigation of Invasive Pest Threats to U.S. Subtropical Agriculture

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: The Lychee Erinose Mite: Pest Status in Florida and Management

Author
item REVYNTHI, ALEXANDRA - University Of Florida
item ATAIDE, LIVIA - University Of Florida
item CANON, MARIA ALEJANDRA - University Of Florida
item Kendra, Paul
item Tabanca, Nurhayat
item HAMMOND, JOHN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item OCHOA, RON - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item CARRILLO, DANIEL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2022
Publication Date: 6/20/2022
Citation: Revynthi, A. M., L. M. Silva Ataide, M. A. Canon, P. E. Kendra, N. Tabanca, J. Hammond, R. Ochoa, and D. Carrillo. 2022. The lychee erinose mite: pest status in Florida and management. 103rd Annual Meeting of the Florida Entomological Society. Gainesville, FL. 20-22 Jun 2022.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The lychee erinose mite (LEM) (Aceria litchii) is an important pest of lychee. This minute mite prefers to feed on young, new flush causing the formation of hypertrophic trichomes, known as erinea. Its recent interception in Lee County, Florida, triggered a quarantine and a subsequent eradication program. We correlated erinea development with the mite population and developed a method to evaluate acaricidal efficacy. Using this method, we tested ten acaricides for efficacy as prophylactic treatments to protect the new flush. We also evaluated the response of LEM to different temperatures. Additionally, we developed a postharvest treatment using a paraffinic oil that can disinfest the fruit of LEM, thereby allowing the growers to ship outside the quarantine area. Little information is available regarding the ecology of this pest and how it locates the new flush while being hidden inside the erinea. Therefore, current research focuses on the chemical ecology of LEM. Plant volatiles collected from different plant structures revealed that the ratio of three sesquiterpenes (ar-curcumene, zingiberene and ß-caryophyllene) is different in the new flush compared with other plant structures, which could be associated with the preference of LEM for the new flush. Presently we are testing the attraction of LEM to two ginger oils containing these three compounds. Results of this study can serve as the basis for development of a lure that can be used to control this pest in the field.