Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Capsicum broad mite (049)


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Summary

  • Worldwide distribution. Capsicum, chilli, tomato are the main hosts, but also on many other crops, e.g., bean, eggplant, papaya, mango and avocado. An important pest.
  • Mites are 0.15 mm, and cannot be seen by eye alone. They live in the buds, feeding on the leaves causing shoots to twist, curl, turn brown, and stop growing. Worse under shade or in screenhouses. 
  • Cultural control: if only a few plants have symptoms, pull out and burn; if many, replant; do not plant next to older infested plants, or downwind from them.
  • Chemical control: garlic, derris, wettable sulphur, abamectin; use soap, white or horticultural oil (repeat after 7 days as these chemicals do not kill eggs).

Common Name

Capsicum broad mite

Scientific Name

 Polyphagotarsonemus latus. Previously known as Hemitarsonemus latus.


AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from CABI (2019) Polyphagotarsonemus latus (broad mite). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/26876); and Fasulo TR (2019) Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). Featured Creatures, Entomology & Nematology. UF/IFAS, University of Florida. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/broad_mite.htm); and from Sparks A, Riley D (2008) Polyphagotarsonemus latus. BugwoodWiki. (https://wiki.bugwood.org/Polyphagotarsonemus_latus).

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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