A phytoseiid predator from the tropics as potential biological control agent for the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae)

2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamilton Oliveira ◽  
Arne Janssen ◽  
Angelo Pallini ◽  
Madelaine Venzon ◽  
Marcos Fadini ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 1735-1740
Author(s):  
Md Arefur Rahman ◽  
Souvic Sarker ◽  
Eunhye Ham ◽  
Jun-Seok Lee ◽  
Un Taek Lim

Abstract The polyphagous predator Orius species is a dominant predator of thrips, mites, and aphids. Orius laevigatus (Fieber) is a well-known commercialized and effective biological control agent, whereas Orius minutus (L.) distributed widely over the world has not been commercialized. To assess potentials of developing O. minutus as a commercial biological control agent, we compared the biological parameters of O. minutus with O. laevigatus when reared on mixed stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch at 27.5°C. Nymphal development of O. laevigatus was shorter (11.30 d) than that of O. minutus (12.25 d), but there was no significant difference in survivorship between the two species. Also, no significant difference was found in either the preoviposition or oviposition periods, lifetime fecundity, or longevity between the two species. However, O. minutus eggs had a higher hatch rate (0.77) than O. laevigatus (0.71). In life table analysis, no difference was found in any parameters, i.e., R0, rm, λ, T, and DT, between O. laevigatus and O. minutus in two-tailed t-tests. In a predation bioassay, O. minutus consumed 1.39 times more adult T. urticae in 24 h than did O. laevigatus, although the predation rate on T. urticae eggs was similar between the two species. These results suggest that O. minutus native to Korea could be developed as a biological control agent against T. urticae.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 748-753
Author(s):  
Anilde Da Graça Sousa Maciel ◽  
Roseane Cristina Predes Trindade ◽  
Edmilson Santos Silva ◽  
Márcia Daniela Dos Santos

The mites of the Phytoseiidae family stand out for the biological control of pest mites. The species Amblyseius aerialis (Muma, 1955) is a generalist mite, which can contribute to the natural regulation of pest mites. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for predation and fecundity of A. aerialis on the different phases of Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836) (Acari: Tetranychidae). A female of A. aerialis was confined on dish (3.0 cm in diameter) of jack bean leaves, Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. The discs were left in petri dish with water. Each T. urticae phase was offered individually to A. aerialis at densities: 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 mites / arena. The number of prey consumed and eggs laid by A. aerialis were evaluated every 24 hours for seven days, with removal of laid eggs by phytoseiid and dead prey and replacement of prey in the initial amount. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared by Tukey test, applying the factorial (4x6). It was observed that with the increase of the density of T. urticae offered there was an increase in the predation of A. aerialis. When offered the nymph and adult the average number of eggs per day was higher, differing from egg and larva. Thus, A. aerialis can be a biological control agent of the T. urticae, reducing the population of the pest and maintaining its fecundity in all phases and densities offered.


2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 218-222
Author(s):  
V. V. Moor ◽  
A. I. Anisimov ◽  
E. G. Kozlova*

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae is a dangerous polyphagous pest of agricultural and ornamental plants. In a commercial greenhouse treated with acaricides or biological control using predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis individual varieties of roses differed significantly in terms of the average annual infestation by the pest mite. On the poorly populated rose varieties, the biological control agent application was more effective as compared to the acaricides. To effectively control the pest, the required predatory mite rates were 4.6–8.7 times higher on varieties with a minimal spider mite infestation (Aqua and Deep Water) as compared to the maximal pest infestation (Heaven and Brazil).


Author(s):  
Sajjad Dalir ◽  
Hamidreza Hajiqanbar ◽  
Yaghoub Fathipour ◽  
Mostafa Khanamani

Abstract The age-specific functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus cucumeris Oudemans (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) on eggs of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), were assessed in the laboratory using bean leaf discs. Densities of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 prey were provided to 4- (protonymph), 6- (deutonymph), 8-, 13-, 18-, 23-, 28-, 33-, and 40-d-old N. cucumeris individuals. The functional response of 28- and 40-d-old N. cucumeris fitted type II, whereas the other ages displayed a type III functional response. The longest handling time observed at the age of 4 d was 0.515 h, whereas the shortest handling time and highest value of maximum attack rate (T/Th) were associated with the age of the 28-d-old treatment (0.261 h and 91.95 prey/d, respectively). The numerical response of N. cucumeris showed a significant increase with increasing prey density, but its rate gradually decreased at higher densities. Therefore, the efficiency of conversion of ingested food was relatively higher at low two-spotted spider mite densities, whereas it was reduced at high two-spotted spider mite densities. The stronger functional response and predation capacity of N. cucumeris on two-spotted spider mite eggs indicated the high potential of this predatory mite as an effective biological control agent against two-spotted spider mite especially at its early and middle ages and also when higher prey densities are present.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1225-1235
Author(s):  
Rui Zhu ◽  
Jian-Jun Guo ◽  
Tian-Ci Yi ◽  
Rong Xiao ◽  
Dao-Chao Jin

The predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), is an important biological control agent of Tetranychus urticae Koch in greenhouse crops. Oulenziella bakeri is an important alternative prey for the commercial production of N. californicus. To confirm that the predatory relationship between N. californicus and O. bakeri is beneficial to the reproduction of N. californicus, the functional and numerical responses of N. californicus to O. bakeri and T. urticae were compared when exposed to six prey densities (2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 individuals) under laboratory conditions. An analysis of the logistic regression showed that the adult female N. californicus displayed a type II functional response when fed on O. bakeri and T. urticae eggs and nymphs. The proportion of the consumed prey by N. californicus to the total supplied prey declined, even though the absolute number of predation events increased as the prey density increased. The Holling disc equation revealed that N. californicus had greater attack rates on the eggs (0.86-1.03) and nymphs (0.73-0.93) of T. urticae than those of O. bakeri, which were (0.55–0.73) and (0.71–0.96), respectively. N. californicus had longer handling times for the eggs (0.05–0.09) and nymphs (0.07–0.12) of O. bakeri compared with those of T. urticae, which were (0.03–0.05) and (0.04–0.07), respectively. The numbers of eggs laid by N. californicus feeding on eggs and nymphs of T. urticae were greater than those feeding on O. bakeri; but as the density increased, the difference in the oviposition rates between the predators feeding on two mites decreased. The comparison of the functional and numerical responses of the predator to O. bakeri and T. urticae revealed that the former is a good alternative food in the commercial production of N. californicus.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Zheng ◽  
Patrick De Clercq ◽  
Zi-Wei Song ◽  
Dun-Song Li ◽  
Bao-Xin Zhang

Neoseiulus californicus and N. cucumeris are both potential candidates for the biological control of key pests in China. Whereas N. californicus has mainly been used to control spider mites, N. cucumeris has been released for the control of thrips and spider mites. To understand the potential of the combined use of N. californicus and N. cucumeris to suppress outbreaks of Tetranychus urticae, the predatory performance of these Neoseiulus species against different stages of T. urticae, either separately or in combination, was evaluated by assessing their functional responses in the laboratory. The values of the attack rate coefficient (α) of N. californicus to each stage of T. urticae exceeded those of N. cucumeris, whereas the handling time (Th) of N. californicus was longer than that of N. cucumeris, except when attacking the larvae of T. urticae. Especially at the higher prey densities, N. cucumeris consumed more eggs per day than N. californicus, whereas N. californicus consumed more larvae. Both predators killed similar numbers of nymphs at each density when tested singly. The searching efficiency of the Neoseiulus species decreased with increasing prey densities, and for all stages of T. urticae, the searching efficiency of the Neoseiulus species tested singly was lower than when they were tested together. The study indicates the potential of mixed releases of N. californicus and N. cucumeris for the management of spider mite infestations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaghoub Fathipour ◽  
Maryam Karimi ◽  
Azadeh Farazmand ◽  
Ali Asghar Talebi

The lifetime functional response and predation rate of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot on eggs of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch were determined under laboratory conditions using cucumber leaf discs. Densities of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 prey were offered to 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 17, 22 and 27-day-old A. swirskii individuals. Based on the logistic regression, the functional response of twelve-day-old A. swirskii was type III, while the other ages showed type II. The Rogers model was used to estimate searching efficiency (a) and handling time (Th). The longest handling time (1.387±0.315 h) was observed in the protonymphal stage, while the shortest handling time and highest maximum attack rate (T/Th) were estimated at the age of seven-days (0.396±0.057 h and 60.67 prey/day, respectively). In the functional response experiments, results of the highest prey density used (128 eggs) showed that the highest number of prey consumed by A. swirskii individuals aged twelve and seventeen-days old (35.6 and 43.1 eggs, respectively). It is concluded that A. swirskii could be an efficient biological control agent of T. urticae at the middle-age of its life and at higher prey densities. 


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