Biological control of Echinothrips americanus by phytoseiid predatory mites and the effect of pollen as supplemental food

Predatory mites represent important biological control agents and those belonging to the Phytoseiidae family are the most promising for the control of phytophagous mites and small insects. The control of key pests of tomato and other solanaceous crops, highlighting phytophagous mites, has been a challenge and the biological control constitutes a promising strategy. Prospecting predatory mites in wild host plants, natural environments as well as in agroecosystems is relevant because these non-crop and crop areas can serve as reservoirs for promising species for biological control programs. This study aimed to know the Phytoseiidae fauna associated with wild and cultivated solanaceous plants in a poorly prospected area in Brazil, the Central-West Region. A detailed taxonomic identification of phytoseiid mites was conducted, and the most important morphological traits are presented for each species. In addition, associated phytophagous mites mainly belonging to the Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae and Eriophyoidea were identified. Surveys were carried out in 23 species of solanaceous collected in the Distrito Federal (12 areas) and Goiás State (1 area), from February 2017 to January 2018. Nineteen species of predators belonging to ten genera were recorded: Amblyseius (2 species), Euseius (3), Galendromus (1), Iphiseiodes (1), Neoseiulus (3), Paraphytoseius (1), Phytoseius (3), Proprioseiopsis (2), Typhlodromalus (2, one probably new to science) and Typhlodromips (1). Solanum lycocarpum was the solanaceous that harbored the highest richness (11 species), as well as the one with the highest abundance of phytoseiids (250 specimens). Typhlodromalus aripo was the most common species, being the most abundant (423 specimens; 32%) and registered on the largest number of hosts (14). Many of phytoseiid species found present morphological traits that facilitate their occurrence in leaves with trichomes, as in the case of tomato and other cultivated solanaceous. These traits and the association between predators and phytophagous mites may indicate that these species are promising for biological control programms. Thus, extensive studies to assess the efficiency of the identified predatory mites to control key solanaceous pests are required.

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Diverse non-crop vegetation assemblages as banker plants for predatory mites in strawberry crop

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485321000973 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Fernando Teruhiko Hata ◽

Pedro Henrique Togni ◽

Maurício Ursi Ventura ◽

José Eduardo Poloni da Silva ◽

Nilson Zacarias Ferreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites ◽

Predatory Mite ◽

Plant Composition ◽

Field Crops ◽

Banker Plant ◽

Solanum Americanum ◽

Leonurus Sibiricus ◽

Plant Inventory ◽

Diverse Plant

Abstract Non-crop plant diversity plays a fundamental role in the conservation of predatory mite (PM) and can be proposed as a banker plant system (BPS). BPSs provide plants that host natural enemies in greenhouses or field crops and may improve the efficiency of biological control. The aim of this study was to investigate if a diverse plant composition could be a suitable BPS for PMs in strawberry crops. A plant inventory characterized 22 species of non-crop plants harboring PMs. The most abundant PMs, in decreasing order, were Neoseiulus californicus, Neoseiulus anonymus, Euseius citrifolius, and Euseius concordis. PMs were randomly distributed among plants. We also found specific associations of Phytoseiidae species and phytophagous or generalist mites on plants. Due to this, four species were deemed suitable as banker plants: Capsicum sp., Leonurus sibiricus, Solanum americanum, and Urochloa mutica. Moreover, these plants combined a high PMs density and a low occurrence or absence of pest-mites. This study suggests shifting the traditional view that BPSs are composed of a limited number of species to use plant assemblages. This contributes to both conservation and augmentative biological control.

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Free living nematodes as alternative prey for soil predatory mites: An interdisciplinary case study of conservation biological control

Biological Control ◽

10.1016/j.biocontrol.2019.02.007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 132 ◽

pp. 128-134 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

L.H. Azevedo ◽

L.G. Leite ◽

J.G. Chacon-Orozco ◽

M.F.P. Moreira ◽

M.P. Ferreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites ◽

Conservation Biological Control ◽

Alternative Prey ◽

Free Living

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Size of predatory mites and refuge entrance determine success of biological control of the coconut mite

BioControl ◽

10.1007/s10526-016-9751-2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 61 (6) ◽

pp. 681-689 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Fernando R. da Silva ◽

Gilberto J. de Moraes ◽

Izabela Lesna ◽

Yukie Sato ◽

Carlos Vasquez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites ◽

Coconut Mite

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Potential of predatory mites for biological control of Brevipalpus yothersi (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

Biological Control ◽

10.1016/j.biocontrol.2020.104330 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 149 ◽

pp. 104330

Author(s):

Poliane S. Argolo ◽

Alexandra M. Revynthi ◽

Maria A. Canon ◽

Marielle M. Berto ◽

Daniel Junior Andrade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites

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Efficacy of indigenous predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) against the citrus rust mite Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Acari: Eriophyidae): augmentation and conservation biological control in Israeli citrus orchards

Experimental and Applied Acarology ◽

10.1007/s10493-014-9786-y ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 63 (3) ◽

pp. 295-312 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Yonatan Maoz ◽

Shira Gal ◽

Yael Argov ◽

Sylvie Domeratzky ◽

Eti Melamed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites ◽

Conservation Biological Control ◽

Citrus Orchards ◽

Phyllocoptruta Oleivora ◽

Citrus Rust Mite

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Biological control of Bradysia matogrossensis (Diptera: Sciaridae) in mushroom cultivation with predatory mites

Experimental and Applied Acarology ◽

10.1007/s10493-007-9075-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 87-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Renata Angelica Prado Freire ◽

Gilberto Jose de Moraes ◽

Edmilson Santos Silva ◽

Alcione Cicera Vaz ◽

Raphael de Campos Castilho

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Predatory Mites ◽

Mushroom Cultivation

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Supplemental food affects thrips predation and movement of Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485307005007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 97 (3) ◽

pp. 309-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

D.J. Skirvin ◽

L. Kravar-Garde ◽

K. Reynolds ◽

J. Jones ◽

A. Mead ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Natural Enemies ◽

Natural Enemy ◽

Trichoderma Viride ◽

Food Sources ◽

Neoseiulus Cucumeris ◽

Orius Laevigatus ◽

Supplemental Food ◽

Species Movement ◽

Predation Rates

AbstractTwo experiments were done to examine the predation of thrips, and the movement of Orius laevigatus Fieber and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) in the presence and absence of two supplemental food sources, pollen and the fungus Trichoderma viride. The presence of pollen led to a 55% reduction in predation of the thrips by N. cucumeris and a 40% reduction in thrips predation by O. laevigatus, in experiments using single predators. The presence of fungus had no significant effect on thrips predation by either of the natural enemy species. Movement of the natural enemies was examined in a multiple predator experiment, and this showed that O. laevigatus was more likely to remain on the plant in the presence of thrips and when supplemental food, either pollen or fungus, was present. For N. cucumeris, there was no association between the presence of thrips and the mite, with the majority of the mites being found on the leaves where pollen was present. Although the single and multiple predator experiments were done at different times, the indications are that the predation rates of the N. cucumeris do not differ greatly between the two experiments, suggesting that there may be a potential interference effect between the mites, which is not present for O. laevigatus. The significance of these results for the use of supplemental food sources in biological control is discussed.

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