Citrus leprosis (CL) is one of the most important viral diseases in sweet orange orchards in Latin America. It is caused by members of at least five species of the so-called Brevipalpus-transmitted viruses (BTV), and the prevalent is Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C). This virus has the broadest host range amongst all CL-associated viruses and is transmitted by Brevipalpus yothersi, a polyphagous mite that can colonize a large variety of host plants, including some spontaneous ground cover plants. But if, on one hand, spontaneous plants can host CL virus and vector, on the other hand, they can offer alternative food for predators, equally common in organic citrus orchards. Brevipalpus yothersi and predator mites were surveyed in 33 spontaneous plants of a Westin sweet orange orchard conducted under organic production system in Brazil, from June 2010 to April 2011. Predatory mites were identified as phytoseiids, and Iphiseiodes zuluagai was the prevalent species, representing 58% of all predators. Other phytoseiids were considered accidental species in the area. Ageratum conyzoides and Alternanthera tenella were the most represented plant host species to predators, comprising 28 and 10% of the total surveyed plants, respectively. Brevipalpus yothersi specimens were detected on various spontaneous species: A. conyzoides, A. tenella, Amaranthus deflexus, Bidens pilosa, Ipomoea quamoclit, I. cairica, Merremia cissoides, Solanum americanum, Panicum maximum, and, predominantly, Commelina benghalensis. The latter has been previously reported as host of CiLV-C as well and, therefore, it is recommended to eliminate this species from citrus orchards.

柑橘麻风病（CL）是拉丁美洲甜橙果园中最重要的病毒性疾病之一。它是由至少五种所谓的短尾蒲传播的病毒（BTV）的成员引起的，流行的是柑桔麻风病病毒C（CiLV-C）。该病毒在所有与CL相关的病毒中具有最广泛的宿主范围，并通过多食性小Bre螨Brevipalpus yothersi传播，它可以在多种宿主植物（包括一些自发的地被植物）中定植。但是，如果一方面，自发植物可以携带CL病毒和载体，另一方面，它们可以为捕食者提供替代性食物，这在有机柑橘园中同样普遍。短尾pal和捕食螨在根据巴西有机生产体系进行了威斯汀甜橙果园的33种自发的植物调查，从2010年6月至2011年4月捕食螨被确定为phytoseiids和Iphiseiodes zuluagai是普遍种，占全部的58％掠食者。其他植物寄生虫被认为是该地区的偶然物种。香叶香ger和天竺葵是捕食者中最有代表性的植物宿主，分别占被调查植物总数的28％和10％。短须螨yothersi：各种自然物种进行检测标本胜红蓟，A.球虫，苋deflexus，三叶鬼针草，茑萝松，I.金龙，金钟cissoides，光果龙葵，黍，并且，主要是，火柴头。后者以前也曾被报道为CiLV-C的宿主，因此，建议从柑橘园中消除该物种。