Environmental Engineering Approaches toward Sustainable Management of Spider Mites

Abstract

Integrated pest management (IPM), which combines physical, biological, and chemical control measures to complementary effect, is one of the most important approaches to environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture. To expand IPM, we need to develop new pest control measures, reinforce existing measures, and investigate interactions between measures. Continued progress in the development of environmental control technologies and consequent price drops have facilitated their integration into plant production and pest control. Here I describe environmental control technologies for the IPM of spider mites through: (1) the disturbance of photoperiod-dependent diapause by artificial light, which may lead to death in seasonal environments; (2) the use of ultraviolet radiation to kill or repel mites; and (3) the use of water vapor control for the long-term cold storage of commercially available natural enemies. Such environmental control technologies have great potential for the efficient control of spider mites through direct physical effects and indirect effects via natural enemies.

Deoxidant-induced anoxia as a physical measure for controlling spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

“…a Although non-diapausing T. kanzawai adults showed high sensitivity to anoxia (Table 2), the values are shown in square brackets because of difficulties in calculating the fiducial interval including natural enemies, which promotes pest resurgence (Suzuki 2012). The implementation of integrated pest management-an approach that employs a combination of pest management measures, including timely application of small amounts of chemicalsis urgently needed.…”

“…The implementation of integrated pest management-an approach that employs a combination of pest management measures, including timely application of small amounts of chemicalsis urgently needed. Biological measures using commercialized natural enemies have been put to practical use (Yang et al 2014), whereas physical measures against spider mites have remained unexploited (Suzuki 2012). Although the use of ultraviolet radiation has recently received broad attention due to its miticidal and repellent effects against spider mites (Ohtsuka and Osakabe 2009;Suzuki et al , 2013Suzuki et al , 2014Sakai and Osakabe 2010;Murata and Osakabe 2014), it may be difficult to apply practically because of the uneven irradiation caused by leaf self-shading.…”

Dispersal of diapausing Tetranychus urticae and T. kanzawai

“…Because we did not provide diapausing females with a refuge from light, diapausing T. urticae females under light conditions might have dispersed from the leaf disks to seek a dark refuge. The result that the dispersal of diapausing females was not affected by previous feeding damage may be explained by the fact that the diapausing spider mites do not feed (Suzuki, 2012). In contrast, non-diapausing mites would be at a disadvantage, in terms of offspring fitness, due to crowding and food shortages if they were to remain on deteriorated patches (Kondo & Takafuji, 1985;Oku et al, 2002b).…”

“…Because diapausing spider mites are a source of mite populations the following spring, an understanding of the factors that influence the mites' dispersal may help in developing effective measures for mite management in cultivated fields (Gould & Kingham, 1965). For instance, disrupting or preventing diapause induction that is regulated by photoperiod should minimize the chances of spider mites reaching proper overwintering habitats and should consequently suppress their populations the following spring (Suzuki, 2012).…”

Air temperature optimisation for humidity‐controlled cold storage of the predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

“…Humidity‐controlled cold storage of N. californicus , in which the water vapour condition is kept near saturation [vapour pressure deficit (VPD) 0.1–0.0 kPa; temperature 0–15 °C], is an effective method for prolonging survival by preventing water loss . Similarly, Hamamura et al .…”