Does feeding on pollen grains affect the performance of <i>Amblyseius swirskii</i> (Acari: Phytoseiidae) during subsequent generations?

Riahi

et al. 2022

J Applied Entomology

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Monitoring the performance of a predator long-term reared on a non-prey diet when switches to a prey is extremely important to have a successful biological control program. In the current study, the efficacy of Neoseiulus cucumeris Oudemans long-term reared on almond pollen during 30 generations in encountering with its natural prey, Tetranychus urticae Koch was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Every 10 generations (G1, G10, G20 and G30), the development, reproduction, population growth potential and predation capacity of the predator were determined after exposure to the natural prey, for one (S1), three (S3) or five (S5) successive generations. The results indicated that the pre-adult duration of N. cucumeris before diet switching did not differ from those after diet switching in G1, G20 and G30. Similarly, the values of the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) were not significantly affected by the diet switching in all generations tested. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in pre-adult duration between the individuals reared on natural prey for one generation or more in all generations tested, except for G1. Continuous feeding on the prey for five generations (G1-S5 and G30-S5) significantly reduced the fecundity compared with those reared for three generations (G1-S3 and G30-S3).We found that continuous feeding on natural prey for three or five generations after different periods of feeding on almond pollen did not significantly change the most important life history traits and predation capacity. In other words, the overall performance of the mass-reared predator remained effective after exposure to natural prey for five generations. It can be concluded that almond pollen is a good food source for the rearing of N. cucumeris because the population growth potential and reproduction of the predator remained constant during the long-term rearing and after switching to the natural prey.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effects of diet switching from almond pollen to natural prey on predation capacity of Neoseiulus cucumeris

Riahi

et al. 2022

J Applied Entomology

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“…Based on the results, the predator N. cucumeris followed the functional response of type II in G0 and type III in G10. Although predators with type III functional response are commonly regarded as efficient biological control agents (Omkar & Pervez 2004), there are many examples of predatory phytoseiid mites with type II functional response that have been used successfully to manage prey populations such as Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Skirvin & Fenlon 2003), Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Khanamani et al 2017), and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Xiao et al 2013;Nemati & Riahi 2020), N. cucumeris (Yazdanpanah et al 2022) by feeding on T. urticae. However, some species such as A. swirskii, N. cucumeris, and P. persimilis showed type II and III functional response at different ages (Fathipour et al 2017(Fathipour et al , 2018Dalir et al 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional and numerical responses are influenced by the feeding experience of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

2023

saa

Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is a commercially available biocontrol agent against various pests. This generalist predator was reared on cattail pollen for 10 generations (G10) and its quality was evaluated using functional and numerical responses to Tetranychus urticae Koch nymph densities as prey. The experiments were conducted by offering a range of prey densities (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 nymphs) under standard conditions (25 ± 1ºC, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of L16:D8 h). The predator exhibited a type III functional response after ten generations of rearing on cattail pollen (G10), while it was type II when the predator had no experience with pollen (G0). The highest estimated maximum predation rate (T/Th) was in G0 (127 prey/day), and the lowest was in G10 (85 prey/day); while, the observed maximum predation rate (OMPR) in the mentioned generations was 67 and 84 prey/day, respectively. The number of prey consumed and the number of eggs laid by the predator in G10 was significantly more than G0. The effects of predator’s generation, prey density, and their interaction on predation and oviposition rate (on T. urticae) were statistically significant. Therefore, because of the higher predation and oviposition rate, and efficient quality of mass-reared predators on cattail pollen, it is proposed that this pollen can be an appropriate food source for mass rearing of N. cucumeris.

“…Similarly, this predator was able to develop and reproduce on almond pollen for 50 generations ( Yazdanpanah et al 2021b ) and cattail pollen for 25 generations ( Gravandian et al 2022 ). Successful long-term rearing on pollen grains for other phytoseiid mites such as Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) ( Khanamani et al 2017 ) and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) ( Nemati and Riahi 2020 ) have been reported beyond 20 and 6 generations, respectively when fed on almond pollen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Feeding and reproducing on a pollen diet is a considerable characteristic of this predatory mite that facilitates the cost-effective production of large numbers of this predator so-called mass rearing. Since the performance of a predator is conditioned by long-term mass rearing ( Nemati and Riahi 2020 ), the potential of N. cucumeris has already been evaluated on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) as main prey and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae) as factitious prey for 30 generations ( Yazdanpanah et al 2022 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollen Alone or a Mixture of Pollen Types? Assessing Their Suitability for Mass Rearing of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Over 20 Generations

Journal of Insect Science

Riahi

et al. 2022

Self Cite

The generalist predatory mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is known as one of the most effective natural enemies on many pests. This economically important biocontrol agent was reared for 20 generations on date palm and castor bean pollen as well as a mixture of pollen types, including date palm, castor bean, and almond. The performance of this predator was evaluated by comparing its life table parameters after different generations (G1–G20) fed on each diet in a laboratory at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h. The development time of the predator reared on all tested diets had no significant difference in G20. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) of N. cucumeris by feeding on the mixed pollen (0.197 day−1) was significantly higher than that on castor bean, or date palm pollen (0.146 or 0.152 day−1 in G1, respectively). Our results indicated that the predator’s performance was not affected by long-term feeding on the pollen diets, as well as there was no considerable difference between pollen alone and pollen mixture diets. Furthermore, mites reared on pollen diets had higher quality than those reared on natural prey, Tetranychus urticae Koch.