Cotton blister mite

The cotton blister mite (Acalitus gossypii) is a microscopic pest belonging to the Eriophyidae family. These mites are elongated, vermiform, and pale white in color, making them nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye in the field during the early stages of infestation.

This mite is a specialized pest of the cotton plant (Gossypium spp.). It feeds on the epidermal cells of leaves, stems, and buds, causing the plant to produce abnormal growths known as galls or blisters, which serve as the mite's habitat and food source.

The biological development of the mite occurs entirely on the host plant. The population increases rapidly during warm, humid weather, which aligns with the active growth stages of the cotton crop, allowing the mites to spread efficiently across the field.

Infestation symptoms manifest as characteristic galls appearing on the leaf blades, petioles, and young stems. These galls can vary in size and density, often causing severe leaf distortion, chlorosis, and stunted growth of the plant parts, which negatively affects total yield.

• Presence of small, felt-like, or bumpy galls on foliage.
• Deformation and curling of young, developing leaves.
• Premature abscission of fruit and buds due to systemic stress.

Cultural management is the primary defense strategy, including the destruction of crop residue after harvest to reduce the over-wintering population of mites. Farmers should also ensure that no volunteer cotton plants remain in or near the fields during the fallow period.

Chemical control involves the application of specialized acaricides. Because the mites reside inside the galls, applying systemic pesticides is often more effective than contact ones. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices should be followed to minimize the development of pesticide resistance in mite populations.