Author Topic: Is this Citrus Greening ?  (Read 2768 times)

Johnny Redland

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Is this Citrus Greening ?
« on: July 27, 2017, 05:46:39 PM »
Tree produced nearly 200 key limes last year. This year there is only a handful on the tree, but not distorted in shape. Tree looks healthy overall, but never has been fertilized or sprayed with insecticide or fungicide. Most if not all of the leaves look like the photo




Susanne42

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2017, 07:06:02 PM »
The characteristic for citrus greening is that the leave discoloration is asymmetrical and not what I see in your pictutre.  I think your leave looks more like a nutritional deficiency. Manganese, zinc?
What kind of fertilizer do you use?

Millet

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2017, 10:53:49 PM »
From the symptoms shown by the leaf in your photo, your tree does NOT have citrus greening. Your tree's leaves look like that because you do not fertilize the tree.  You do not say how old the tree is, but a citrus tree that is 4 years of age or older, and planted in the ground, should be fertilized three times a year during the growing season. Susanne is correct, the leaf your photo is showing is a manganese deficient leaf, also with a possibility of a zinc deficiency.  Both deficiencies have pretty much the same leaf symptoms, with the exception that zinc deficient leaves are dwarfed by the deficiency.  Never the less, when you treat for either deficiency you should treat for both at the same time.  You can foliar spray the tree with any water soluble manganese/zinc trace mineral mix.  You can also treat by fertilizing the tree through the soil with a fertilizer that contains NPK and all the trace minerals.   The probable reason that your tree did not produce as much fruit this year as last year, is due to last years crop was a large crop, plus the fact that the tree is deficient.   
« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 10:56:38 PM by Millet »

Johnny Redland

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2017, 07:27:02 AM »
Got it. This tree is about 7 years old, I planted it in my grandparents yard. I'll need to start maintaining it for them. On another note, I have a few key limes trees on my property that are about 2 years old and they get fertilized regularly and sprayed for insects and fungicide regularly. But I'm having a hard time preventing leaf curl. They always seem to have about 60-70% of their leaves all curled or shriveled. What's the trick with this? My Valencia orange is more receptive to the spraying, but it's also a battle to keep the new flush looking healthy. Any advice?

Susanne42

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2017, 08:19:01 AM »
leaf curl can be a water problem. Don'tknow your location but here, if it is very hot in afternoon, leaves can be curled. Too dry, and leaves can be culrled same if constantly too wet.

spaugh

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2017, 04:31:23 PM »
The leaf curl sounds like leaf miners.  Are you spraying with spinosad?
Brad Spaugh

Susanne42

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2017, 06:16:16 PM »
wouldn't you see the damage from the leave miner? I had them four years ago and their trail trough the leaf layer was clearly visible.

Millet

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2017, 08:50:11 PM »
Two possible causes for the crinkled leaves of a new flush.  The first is Citrus leaf miners.  You can look up "Citrus leaf Miners" on the Internet and it will tell you every thing you need to know. As Susanne wrote, if the damage is indeed caused by leaf miners you will see trails through the leaf where the worm mined.  The second is two insects called aphids, and thrips.  You can also see pictures of thrips on the Internet.  Thrips VERY FREQUENTLY attack the tender young leaves of a new flush of growth.  They feed by sucking the juices from the leaves which causes the leaves to become very distorted.   This damage will last for the life of the leaf (about 2 years).  I have a thrip problem just about with every new flush.  I spray a horticultural oil on the new flushes every two or three days until the leaves firm up. This stops any leaf damage, and results in a tree with beautiful foliage.  Horticultural oils are completely safe to humans and annals.  Note: : NEVER spray a citrus tree with anything during the heat of the day.  Hope this helps.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2017, 09:49:17 AM by Millet »

bsbullie

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2017, 02:21:59 AM »
While some/many do not like using it, here in Florida with the constant attacks of CLM (more yhan just on first "seasonal" flush. ISD treatments (imidacloprid systemic drench...and used at proper strength) applied 3 times a year usually helps control the damage tremendously.
- Rob

Susanne42

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2017, 09:15:06 AM »
Systemic means there is residue in the fruits too. Do not want to eat that.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2017, 10:15:14 AM »
Systemic means there is residue in the fruits too. Do not want to eat that.

Doesn't mean it's toxic to you.  Rob's advice is spot on.  Imidacloprid is labeled for about everything consumable.  It is safe but you need to follow label instructions.  Now, there has been a clear scientific finding that it does NOT harm bees in the nest or otherwise but just as a matter of course I don't soil apply until after bloom.

Hands down Keyplex 350DP is the best trace element product for citrus I've used.  I grafted a few varieties on Flying Dragon which is notorious for very poor micro uptake/assimilation and the only thing that corrected the chlorosis was Keyplex.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2017, 10:17:18 AM by Mark in Texas »

Susanne42

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2017, 10:35:28 AM »
I hope you are right. Remember the times when citrus farmers were assured DDT is safe? How many years did it take till they discovered it was not and for how many the devastating news came too late? And the effect is still there, ever wondered why the breast cancer in women in the middle age group is so high?
With medicine the same, Pharmacy tells you it is safe until the first lawsuits need to get recalled.
Systemic anything is not happening on my trees and if I can avoid it, will not buy anything that is treated that way. I just don't trust Monsanto and consortius.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2017, 10:42:17 AM »
I hope you are right. Remember the times when citrus farmers were assured DDT is safe? How many years did it take till they discovered it was not and for how many the devastating news came too late? And the effect is still there, ever wondered why the breast cancer in women in the middle age group is so high?
With medicine the same, Pharmacy tells you it is safe until the first lawsuits need to get recalled.
Systemic anything is not happening on my trees and if I can avoid it, will not buy anything that is treated that way. I just don't trust Monsanto and consortius.

Not gonna what if this and that.  The old "remember when" argument is silly and must be taken into context regarding application, exposure, news worthy, etc.  Lot's of factors at play including lawyering, rumors, NY Times and such, etc.  I used to take a bath in a combo pesticide back in the 70's when spraying a vineyard.  Took me an hour to get back to the house and shower.  That nasty stuff had Lindane, methoxychlor, DDT and one other insecticide in it.  Am healthy as a horse, have no problem with Monsanto, use the hell outta glyphosate and am living the good life farming.




« Last Edit: July 29, 2017, 10:44:35 AM by Mark in Texas »

Mark in Texas

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Re: Is this Citrus Greening ?
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2017, 10:49:19 AM »
  Note: : NEVER spray a citrus tree with anything during the heat of the day.  Hope this helps.

Against my better judgement I did just that.  The tender new foliage of my Franken citrus tree didn't like it when temps hit 95F in the greenhouse, curled them pretty badly.  I added 1 tsp. of malathion and a surfactant too to the spray after seeing scale covered limes and lower branches.  Needless to say....they're dead.  ;D