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Meyer lemon speckled leaves-pest or disease?

6 years ago

Hi, first time posting but I look here for advice all the time.

I have about an acre planted in grafted improved Meyer lemons that were planned about 2-3 years ago. This is the first year I'm really letting them produce and they're loaded.

However, I've noticed quite a few have a strange speckling on their leaves. I thought it might be mites, but I've sprayed trilogy and insecticidal soap with no results. Maybe it's a nutritional deficiency of some kind? Or disease? Any ideas?

Featured Answer

Silica

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

It certainly looks like mites. If indeed it was mites the damage was already done before you sprayed. The fact that you sprayed Trilogy (which is a neem product) and soap does not remove the damaged from the leaves. Your leaves will look like that probably for the rest of their lives. If the mites are gone the new leaves will look normal. You might consider starting a regimen to walk your grove to carefully inspect for any potential problems at least weekly. It is also a good idea to start a data base of any problems, where they occurred, what time of year, the date the problem was noticed, and treatment given and results. Many growers feel that by doing this they get a heads up of what to be on the look-out for during each season.

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Comments (6)

Laura LaRosa (7b)
6 years ago
I don't know but many here can help. I'm sure they will want to know what zone you are in and what you feed them.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
6 years ago
The tree may be infested with spider mites which are so small you need a magnifying glass to see them. See if you can spot small webs around the stems of the leaves.
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Believe me, I've been looking. Since wjell could not remove the 'spots', I don't believe them to be eggs of any kind. I'm going to suggest that these might be the eruptions of edema, not unheard of on container grown plants. Edema appears ad small bumps, blisters, or warts on the underside of the leaves. It can be an indication of a potting medium kept too moist for too long, or other environmental factors relating to moisture.
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I wish I'd taken pictures! I was so freaked out by the possibility of contagion that I threw the diseased leaves away. Previously, some of the lemon tree leaves had yellowed due to changing light conditions, and that looked totally different. When it was light-related, the entire leaf turned sort of a pale shade of green/yellow. This discoloration was more like... more light brown then yellow. And instead of the entire leaf turning a pale color, it was more like a part of the leaf had turned a strange "dead-looking" shade of light brown. I'm hoping it doesn't return, but just in case it does, I'll take a picture and post it. Any ideas on what that brown/black spots on the bay leaf could be?
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Looks like spider mites; you won't see them without a good magnifying glass. A good wash outside or in the shower will go a long way to getting rid of them. My advice... lose the fertilizer spikes and replace with a good soluble citrus fertilizer applied 3-4 times per year according to the label. Your tree looks to be a little underfed; and unhealthy trees are more susceptible to spider mites. I would also get a good foliar fert. and give your tree an application of that about every 15 days; I like Bayer Bayfolan Forte; lots of container growers here use Foliage Pro... there are others. Your tree looks a bit leggy; I am guessing it gets less light than it would like.
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Lokoea Farms
Original Author
6 years ago
Oops, meant to post this other photo, not the same one twice.
Lokoea Farms
Original Author
6 years ago
Ok that all makes sense. Do the mites affect the fruit? I've noticed some lemons are more russeted while others are shiny and pretty. The russeted ones tend to be smaller too. Could this be mites as well?

I have been keeping records as best as I can starting this year. Mostly because it's really hard to find info specific to Hawaii - the trees seem to get confused with our tropical weather and things don't always happen at the same time as in the mainland. But observations, pests, diseases, treatments, harvest amounts, inputs, etc are things I'm keeping track of now too. I'm trying to get some good data, hopefully it will help in the future!
Bill Alston
2 years ago
It may be manganese deficiency. Found it on another site.

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