A preliminary study on the biological control of Tetranychus urticae in Erythrina caffra, Phytolacca dioica by Phytoseiulus persimilis Anthias-Henriot (Acarina: Tetranychidae, Phytoseiidae) in green house

Abstract

Biological control of Tetranychus urticae by Phytoseiulus persimilis was carried out on tropical plant (Erythrina caffra, Phytolacca dioica) from April to July. Experiments were conducted at Tropical Plant Resources Research Center of Korea National Arboretum. Phytoseiulus persimilis (200 individual/tree) was released once (12. May) to control Tetranychus urticae. We measured the density of leaf-feeding T. urticae at intervals of approximately 2weeks after introducing P. persimilis. The densities of T. urticae were suppressed 10%, in Erythrina caffra and 49% in Phytolacca dioicas after 2 weeks introducing them.