We have a Satsuma tree at our backyard, the tree is about 15 years old, it has produced really pretty satsumas every year,
Image 01 - Brownish fruit.
In the last week or two, we saw the Satsuma fruit is turning color, not from a bright green color to an orange color as always, but from a bright green color to brownish color or dark!
However, the leaves are still looking green, nothing happen and there is no sign of any bug infestation on them.
What is going on with our satsuma tree?
After asking experts from Louisiana State University Agriculture Center (LSU Ag center), they said that the Satsuma fruit got diseases called "Citrus rust mite."
Image 02 - Starting to change color.
# Important postings:
Image 03 - Few fruit not green enough
"The citrus rust mite, Phyllocoptruta oleivora, is a microscopic pest that infects citrus fruits (trees). These tiny mites feed on the epidermal cells of leaves, fruit, and green twigs using their piercing-sucking mouthparts." While they don't pose a serious threat to the trees themselves, they can significantly mar the appearance of citrus fruit by causing unsightly brown patches on the skin of fruit known as russeting.
Image 04 - Some fruits, Satsuma
Do you know about the citrus rust mite?
# Previous postings:
