Potentially selective and integrated pest management (IPM)-compatible pesticides for the citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton and its parasitoid Ageniaspis citricola Logvinovskaya were compared under nursery field conditions at Gainesville, FL. In 1996, replicated blocks of young grapefruit trees were treated with 2% petroleum oil and 1X the lowest recommended field rate (LRFR) of diflubenzuron + oil (0.4%). Untreated and treated controls (avermectin at 1X the LRFR + oil) were included. In 1997, blocks were treated with oil (3%), 1X the LRFR of azadirachtin + oil, 1X the LRFR of diflubenzuron + oil and 0.1X the LRFR of avermectin + oil. Untreated and treated controls were again included. Oil at 3%, azadirachtin at 1X the LRFR + 0.4% of oil, and diflubenzuron at 1X the LRFR + 0.4% of oil were shown to be IPM-compatible pesticides. In 1997, these blocks had fewer mines per leaf and P. citrella pupae parasitized by A. citricola per total leaves sampled compared with the untreated control but more than the treated control (alpha = 0.05). Avermectin at 0.1X the LRFR + 0.4% of oil was not considered an IPM-compatible pesticide because, while it reduced the number of P, citrella mines per leaf, it reduced the number of A. citricola to levels as low as the treated control. Actual P. citrella infestation levels had no detectable effect on tree growth and vigor. Pesticide applications were not justified when P. citrella infestations were <1 mine per leaf and the biological control agent A. citricola was present.
