What are the diseases and pests of the mandarin?

Tangerine

Image - Flickr / Herbolarium Allium

The mandarin is one of the most resistant citrus to pests and diseases, but unfortunately that does not mean that it cannot have some other problem throughout its life. In fact, if we are careless with the cultivation, that is, if we do not fertilize it and water it every time it needs it, it is more than likely that some microorganism or insect will harm our tree.

To prevent this from happening, it is important to know what are the diseases and pests of mandarin and, also, how to treat it. So let's go. 🙂

Mandarin diseases

Phytophthora

Phytophthora

It is a fungus that is favored by excess humidity and warm but mild temperatures, between 15 and 30ºC. Depending on the species, it can affect the roots first or directly the leaves. The symptoms are: brown spots on the upper part of the leaves and with a white-greyish powder on the underside; root system rot, weakening and, in severe cases, death.

To treat it, you must use copper-based fungicides, and avoid overwatering.

Viruses and viroids

Orange tree with virus

Orange tree affected by the citrus sadness virus (Closterovirus or CTV).
Image - Agenciasinc.es

As el sadness virus, exocortis and psoriasis. They are microorganisms that cause mosaics of different colors in the leaves and fruits. The symptoms are: leaf drop for no apparent reason, excessive fruit production, general weakening, and in severe cases, they can also cause tree death.

Unfortunately there is no cure. The best thing to do is to make sure that you are buying a healthy specimen.

Mandarin pests

Red spider

Red spider, a pest that can affect your Chamaedorea

It is a red mite that measures about 0,5cm that loves a warm and dry environment. It perches on leaves to feed on their cells. The damages and symptoms it causes are: discolored spots on affected parts, cobwebs, slowed growth.

It can be easily fought with acaricides, or with neem oil - you can buy it here- whose dose is about 3ml for each liter of water.

Cochineal

Cottony mealybug on a leaf

They are insects that can be of several types: cottony or limpet type. In any case, they perch on the tender stems and on the underside of the leaves to feed on them. The symptoms are: discolored spots on affected parts, slowing of growth, and general weakening of the tree.

The best natural remedy is diatomaceous earth, which is a very fine white powder composed of fossilized microscopic algae that contain silica, the material from which glass is made. When they come into contact with parasites, they break their protective shield, causing them to end up dying of dehydration. The dose is 35g for each liter of water, which should be thrown into a watering can (do not use a spray as it gets clogged right away).

If you don't know where to get it, you can buy it from here.

White fly

Whitefly, a pest that affects poplar

They are very tiny insects, about 0,5cm white in color that adhere to the most tender leaves and shoots to feed. The symptoms are: yellowing of the leaves, sticky substance on the leaves as a consequence of the appearance of the bold fungus, and weakening.

To control it, the ideal is to place adhesive traps of yellow color, which is a color that attracts these flies and other parasites, such as aphids. This is how it is possible to keep the population of this pest at bay. You can buy them here.

Citrus miner

Citrus miner

Image - Flickr / Scot Nelson

It is a micro-lepidopteran that feeds on the tree's most tender shoots, such as the youngest leaves. The symptoms and damage it causes are: discolored galleries on leaves, yellowing, leaf drop, growth retardation, and general weakening.

To combat it, it is best to apply neem oil, whose dose is 3 to 5ml per liter depending on the severity of the damage it has caused, or with Bacillus thuringiensis which is a bacterium that can help us a lot to control pests. You can buy the latter here.

Now you know what diseases or pests mandarins can have. I hope that the remedies to treat them are useful to you. 🙂


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  1.   plow said

    Hello !:, I have a mandarin and a few weeks ago it got some beautiful flowers but now the flowers are poor and the tree is full of green microbeats that are weakening the tree. What I can do.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Aralar.
      You may have aphids. On this article We tell you several natural remedies to eliminate them.
      A greeting.

    2.    Nancy said

      Hello… I have a young mandarin… the tips of some branches are turning black. He cut off that black part but the branch turns black again as before. I beg it every other day and I have it outside. Their tangerines are just growing. But some are drying up. Could you help me to see what I can do please. Thank you

      1.    Monica Sanchez said

        Hello Nancy.

        From what you count, it could be that you had overwatering, or that the soil does not drain water well.

        My advice is to water two or three times a week in summer, and about 2 times a week (or less) the rest of the year. Treat it with an anti-fungal product (fungicide), following the instructions specified on the package.

        If you have it in a pot with a plate underneath, remove the water after you have watered.

        Greetings.

    3.    Jessica said

      Hi! I have a tangerine that is several years old, recently the entire stem began to turn white, and only still green tangerines are falling, as if it were very weak, could you help me to know what it could be? And how could I heal it?

      1.    Monica Sanchez said

        Hi Jessica.

        From what you count, it seems that some fungus is harming him. I recommend treating it with an anti-fungal product (fungicide), by watering and spraying (spraying the trunk and leaves).

        It is also important to know how often it is watered, or if it has rained a lot in the area recently, since excess water hurts it. In either case, the fungicide can help you.

        Greetings.

  2.   Alfredo Ostaritz said

    Hello .. I have a mandarin tree .. which I pruned around November, December… .it has a lot of new leaves and shoots… .but I have noticed that the new leaves are drilled and I eat food… .I have cleaned the mites, whitefly and climber ... and I do not see that it has any of the above or slug or snail ... .. could it be acid rain? ... greetings.

  3.   Silvia Estrada Gonzalez placeholder image said

    Tangerines have a black spot and are ripe, so I avoid this plague ????

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Silvia.
      I would recommend treating the tree with a fungicide, which will kill the fungus.
      All the best

  4.   Francisco Javier Vera Mendez said

    Hello, I have a young mandarin but I see that the leaves are rolling up, they are getting chinitas and perforated; What I can do?

    Thank you

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Francisco Javier.
      Have you checked if it has any plagues? From what you count, it could be that I had mealybugs, or that a nutrient is lacking.
      If you have not fertilized it for a long time, I would recommend fertilizing it with guano, which is organic, quickly effective.
      A greeting.

  5.   Danny Reynoso said

    Hello, I have 2 tangerines, 1 is perfect, the other last year a bug appeared that is staying inside, it turns them yellow and they fall off when you open them I see that a worm has been something inside that can be and how it fought it, thank you very much in advance

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Dany.
      Probably the larvae of the fruit fly.

      You can fight it with Cypermethrin or Malathion.

      Greetings.

  6.   CRISTINA ZATONYL said

    HELLO I HAVE A MANDARINO ALREADY WITH FRUITS, BUT MUCH OF THEM BREAK BECAUSE IT CAN BE?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Cristina.

      Has it rained a lot lately or has it watered frequently? Sometimes when tangerines (or any other fruit) burst it is because they have received too much water.

      If that is not what happens to your mandarin, it would not hurt to do some preventive treatment with potassium soap, which will keep it protected from the main pests.

      If you have any doubts, please contact us.

      Regards!

  7.   Charles Bonafonte said

    I have a mandarin with a lot of fruits but with a lot of them that burst, break and have to be thrown away.
    Any idea what's wrong ?????
    THANK YOU

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi carlos.

      In some cases, citrus fruits lose a lot of fruit because they have received a lot of water during flowering and little during the fruit ripening process, or vice versa: little water during flowering, and a lot during fruiting. For example, if the spring has been very rainy but the summer has been rather dry, you can make this happen.

      You can fertilize it with a specific fertilizer for citrus fruits to help you maintain them, but yes, it is important to follow the instructions on the container.

      Greetings.

  8.   Daniela muse said

    Hi! I have a young mandarin, I planted it last year in a large pot (half a vat of wine) in the garden. I live in Chile, here we are in spring and I have it in full sun. But I am concerned that almost no flowers have come out (there were mosquitoes attached that I have tried to remove) and it also has many inward curved leaves and some burned at the tips. I can't figure out what's wrong or what to do. Could you help me please?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Daniela.

      Check for mealybugs. It is a very common pest on these trees. On this link you have information and how to remove it.

      One more thing, how often do you water it? It wants a lot of water, but you don't have to have the soil always wet.

      Greetings.

  9.   GONZALO FRANCO FERRARI said

    hello I have a mandarin that always gave 2 to 3 fruits this year I dedicated myself to observe it and noticed that: 1 it was full of flowers many curdled but when the fruit is m / m 2mm the branch where it gets dark and the fruit turns black (is necrotic ??) and the tree is lost gave innumerable new twigs but few lasted the rest dried up, lost their greenness, turned dark (black) and dried up, currently there are about seven fruits but they are in thick old branches and not In these new terminal branches that dry up (necrotize?) turning almost black and then remain dry and brittle, will I get an answer? If so, I would like to email you, thank you

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Gonzalo.

      How often is it watered and paid? It is possible that it lacks compost, and for that reason it does not finish producing fruit.
      Therefore, if it is not paid, I recommend doing it throughout the spring and summer.

      Greetings.

  10.   Rita said

    Hello, I have a two-year-old mandarin, so far with only two green fruits, when it gave flowers they fell by themselves and now it is full of leaves but they are rolling up and some are turning yellow. How can I cure it?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Rita.

      Rolled leaves can be a sign of plague. Have you checked if it has any? Mealybugs for example are common on these plants. You can remove them with water and mild soap. But you may have to repeat the treatment.

      In the event that you have nothing, then surely you have some deficiency. To correct it, it would be highly recommended to fertilize it with a citrus fertilizer that is sold in plant nurseries or here, following the instructions for use.

      Regards!

  11.   Margherita said

    Hello, my mandarin does not have a sticky white stink, how do I remove it? Thank you

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Margie or Hello Margarite.

      You probably have cottony mealybugs. You can remove them with soap and water, diatomaceous earth, or with these remedies.

      Greetings.

  12.   Leonardo said

    Good. I have found that my mandarin has a yellow powder as if it were pollen stuck at the junctions of the trunk with the branches. I put antifungal on it a week ago and that powder is coming back. It is a tangerine of a height of 1mt young. What could be happening to you? We are in winter in Argentina.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Leonardo.

      They can be mushrooms, yes. But if you can, send us a picture to our Facebook to be able to advise you better.

      Greetings.

  13.   Ximena said

    Hello, my mandarin tree has on its leaves like milkweed and ants are climbing on that milkweed, what kind of plague will it be and how can I remove it

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello, ximena.

      From what you say, it seems that it has mealybugs. They secrete a honeydew, thus attracting ants. You can remove them with soap and water, in a jet. Either with diatomaceous earth or potassium soap.

      Greetings.

  14.   Gladys Correa said

    Hello, because I prune my mandarin and all the rind fell off and it seems to have dried up

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Gladys.
      I don't understand you well. Did you prune it and has it dried up? If so, you probably over-pruned 🙁
      If the branches are dry, nothing can be done anymore.
      A greeting.

  15.   Bartholomew said

    In the third year of planting in my garden in Trelew (Chubut) a 4-season tangerine tree of more or less 1m. tall, does not increase in size. I observe that the leaves do not develop and present a slight inward curl.
    The color is normal green.
    It produces small fruits of no more than 1 cm in diameter that end up falling.
    I water normally.
    I have not incorporated any fertilizer.
    I will appreciate any comment

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Bartholomew.
      From what you can tell, it seems to be lacking in nutrients. I recommend you fertilize it with a multivitamin fertilizer.
      A greeting.