Effect of Some Biological Control Fungi on Life Stages of the Two-Spot Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranchidaea) on Eggplant

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of some filtrate of bio-fungi (Trichoderma harzianum, T. asperelloides, Beauveria bassiana and Penicillium sp.) in controlling the two-spot spider mite that infects eggplant. Fungi filtrates have been tested against all roles of the red mite (eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults). The results showed that T. harzianum was the most effective among other fungi in controlling T. urticae, recording the lowest egg hatching of 55.42% and the highest mortality rate for motile instars, which reached 69.37 60.04 and 62.33 for larvae, nymphs and adults, respectively, with a significant difference from the fungi. T. asperelloides, B. bassiana, and Penicillium sp. respectively. As for the concentration of the filtrate, in general, the efficiency of the filtrate increased with increasing concentration. The concentration of 100% recorded the highest reduction in the number of hatched eggs with a hatching rate of 59.33% and an increase of the dead individuals with mortality rates of 60.00, 55.37 and 51.58% for larvae, nymphs and adults, respectively, compared to concentration 25%, which led to a hatching rate of 79.67% and significantly less mortality for all stages.