The suitability of lemon, Citrus limon (L.) Burm. cv. Lisbon, for egg production by the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), was compared with that of mandarin orange, Citrus unshiu Markovitch cv. Satsuma in the field and laboratory over a 15-mo period. The two plant species were most suitable during the spring (April-June), when mites generally are most abundant in the field, and did not differ significantly in suitability during this time. In laboratory experiments, the suitability

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... both species declined during the summer and fall, but mandarin declined most. Thus, lemon was the most suitable host except during the spring. Mandarin foliage was generally richer in soluble protein and free amino acid concentrations throughout the study. Variation in quantities of soluble protein and free amino acids was weakly and inconsistently related to variation in egg production between species and within species over time. Variation in egg production was not associated with the greater number of leaf flusheson lemon. Differences in host suitability among citrus species may play only a minor role in variation in the status of the citrus red mite as a pest among different citrus-growing regions. KEY WORDS Acarina, fecundity, nitrogen, varietal differences 0046-225xj88j0715-0721$02.00jO