Re: black soot on lemon leaves
- To: K*@aol.com
- Subject: Re: black soot on lemon leaves
- From: M* T* F*
- Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 17:26:36 -1000
Maybe check and see if there are ants. Most of the time the ants prevent
naturally occuring biological control agents from working (tiny parasitic
wasps). The ants actually protect the aphids, etc all from these
parasites. If you can get rid of the ants the soooty mold and homopterans
will all go away. Least toxic, first choice, just may tak a while for
biological control to work...
MTF
>Barbara:
>
>I have the same problem on a Washington Navel Orange. I believe it is a
>sooty mold (actually a fungus?) that is associated with the presence of
>honeydew secreted by scale insects. I think if you look closely, you will
>find scale insects lining small branches and the central veins of some
>leaves.. The sooty mold will spread to areas that don't have the insects,
>but in my experience, it is always associated with either aphis or scale
>insects. Some control of the insects can be had by repeated spraying with a
>light horticultural oil. The sooty mold would probably require a fungicide.
>
>Kurt Mize
>Stockton, California
>USDA Zone 9
Mach T. Fukada
AKA member 07778
fukada@aloha.net
MACh Tech,
Macintosh Computer and Agriculture/Aquaculture Consulting
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