Leafminer pressure is reportedly high and moderate across certain areas of South Florida. According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, pressure is moderate overall in Southwest Florida. Infestation levels increased to high in some tomato and watermelon fields in the area.
Infestations are also moderate and holding steady in watermelon fields along the east coast.
Extreme pressure is observed in older bean fields in Homestead, Florida. Dak Seal, entomologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Tropical Research and Education Center, reported high pressure in beans, moderate population levels in squash and low levels in eggplant and pepper fields.
According to UF/IFAS, the peak of leafminer activity is between October and March in South Florida. Damage symptoms show as irregular serpentine mines in leaves. Damage to the foliage can make the plants more susceptible to fungal or bacterial diseases, like bacterial spot, Alternaria and target spot.
Consult the UF/IFAS Vegetable Production Handbook for labeled products.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/CV/CV29200.pdf.