ABSTRACT
This study aimed to verify the association of the "citrus leafminer", Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton, 1856 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) with other host plants that exist in organiccitrus orchard, in order to explain aspects of its survival out of the Citrus spp flush season , and also to undertake a survey of leafminers present in the orchard. The work was carried out in Montenegro, RS, in an organic orchard grown with the hybrid Murcott. Samplings were taken every other week, from May 2003 to May 2004,by collecting on each occasion all themined leaves found in an area delimited by a 0.28 m2 circle thrown in and between the rows of 30 randomly chosen trees. During the study, the presence of P. citrella was notreportedon spontaneous growing plants in the orchard, and clearly shows its preference for Citrus species. However, 15 species of Diptera leafminers and 15 species of host plants belonging to three botanical families were recorded.
KEY WORDS
Agromyzidae; Asteraceae; Amaranthaceae; Commelinaceae; Convolvulaceae; Lamiaceae
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