Mite fauna on apples in southern Brazil - Review and perspectives

Abstract

Brazil is among the largest apple producers in the world (Malus domestica Bork, Rosaceae), with production concentrated mainly in the southern of the country. Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Tetranychidae) have economic importance in apple and, recently, Aculus schlechtendali (Nalepa) (Eriophyidae), was reported in Brazil. This review aims to delineate the distribution of the acarofauna associated to apple, with emphasis on the main groups of economic importance and their potential natural enemies and highlight the problems related to phytophagous species and management possibilities.Searches were carried out in databases, and the principal keywords were Aculus schlechtendali, Malus domestica and Panonychus ulmi. After the exclusion criteria resulted 166 publications. The social and economic importance of the apple has been increasing on the world, however, due to environmental imbalance, phytophagous mites are increasing their populations and acquiring resistance against acaricides. Panonychus ulmi has been reported in America for decades, being of economic importance for Brazil and the record of A. schlechtendali alerts to the possibility of damage in orchards in the country. Therefore, it is important that the literature be evaluated, that the mite species are identified and that forms of conscious management are developed. Prioritizing the human and animal health and environmental balance.

Assessing Panonychus ulmi (Acari: Tetranychidae) Infestations and Their Key Predators on Malus domestica Borkh in Varied Ecological Settings

“…It is widely cultivated for its fruit, apples, which come in various colors, flavors, and textures [1]. Its probable origins trace back to the mountainous regions of Central Asia, thriving at altitudes between 1200 and 1800 m [2,3]. It is cultivated on every continent, excluding Antarctica.…”

“…The immature and adult stages of P. ulmi, along with other mite pests, induce a decline in photosynthesis, leading to reduced fruit size. This, in turn, prompts premature fruit drop and adversely affects the fruiting in the subsequent season [3,31]. Phytoseiids play a major role as essential biological control agents against pest mites, making them integral components of applied biological control programs (Lindquist et al, 1996;McMurtry and Croft, 1997).…”