Ana's notes: It is important to differentiate leafmining flies and leafmining caterpillars, since the management of the two groups of pests is different. The leafminers attacking coffee, cotton, groundnut, soybean and citrus are caterpillars, not leafmining flies. Some work was done on neem for control of leafminers on tomatoes some years back, but it was not published. I am looking for it; it should be added when available.
Leafmining flies (Lyriomiza spp)
Leafminers are small flies, about 1.5 mm in length. The maggot makes long, slender, white mines (tunnels) in leaves.
Severely mined leaves may turn yellow and drop. Severely attacked seedlings are stunted and may eventually die. Control measures are necessary when attack is severe, especially on young plants.
- Conserve natural enemies. They are very important in natural control of leafminers.
- Handpick and destroy mined leaves
- Whenever necessary spray the crop with neem products. Neem water extracts and neem oil give good control of leafminers.
