Mites associated with sugarcane crop and with native trees from adjacent Atlantic forest fragment in Brazil

Abstract

In some Brazilian regions the Atlantic forest biome is currently restrict to fragments occurring amid monocultures, as sugarcane crops in the Northeast region. Important influence of forest remnants over mite fauna of permanent crops have been showed, however it has been poorly explored on annual crops. The first step for understanding ecological relationship in an agricultural systems is known its composition. The objective of this study was to investigate the plant-inhabiting mite fauna associated with sugarcane crop (Saccharum officinarum L.) (Poaceae) and caboatã (Cupania oblongifolia Mart.) (Sapindaceae) trees in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. Sugarcane stalks and sugarcane and caboatã apical, middle and basal leaves were sampled. A total of 2565 mites were collected from sugarcane and classified into seven families of Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata orders, with most individuals belonging to the Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae and Tarsonemidae families. Among predatory mites, the Phytoseiidae were the most common. A total of 1878 mites were found on C. oblongifolia and classified into 13 families of Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata orders. The most abundant phytophagous mite family on caboatã was also Eriophyidae. In contrast to sugarcane, Ascidae was the most common predatory mite family observed in caboatã. No phytophagous species were common to both sugarcane and C. oblongifolia. However two predatory mites were shared between host plants. Although mites associated with only one native species in the forest fragment were evaluated in this study, our preliminary results suggest Atlantic forest native vegetation can present an important role in the sugarcane agricultural system as a source of natural enemies.

A Snap-Shot of Domatial Mite Diversity of Coffea arabica in Comparison to the Adjacent Umtamvuna Forest in South Africa

“…Either they are present in the indigenous forest but were not sampled, or they were introduced along with the coffee plants, at the time the plantation was established. In a similar study assessing plant-inhabiting mite fauna associated with sugarcane, the important role that natural vegetation plays as a source of natural mites, which are enemies of pests, was demonstrated [26,27].…”

Occurrence of Different Acari Associated with Sugarbeet and Sugarcane In Kafr El-Sheikh and Qena Governortes, Egypt

“…Sugarcane mite O. sacchari McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae) is one of the most harmful arthropod pests associated with sugarcane during summer (Nikpay and Goebel 2016). The plant-inhabiting mite fauna associated with sugarcane crops in the state of Alagoas, Brazil determined by Duarte et al (2015). A total of 2565 mite species were collected from sugarcane and classified into 7 families of Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata orders, with most individuals belong to Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae, and Tarsonemidae.…”

Natural enemies in alternative plants during the soybean and corn offseason in Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul

“…In general, these processes generate positive and negative impacts on agriculture; research data report the use of plants by insects considered pests for crops located in areas adjacent to crops are su ch as soybean, corn and wheat (Klein, Redaelli, & Barcelos, 2012;Pasini, Lúcio, & Ribeiro, 2015;Engel, Pasini, Hörz, & Dalla Nora, 2017). Apart from these pests, there are also reports these plants are used by arthropods considered natural enemies of major agricultural pests for several crops (Souza et al, 2011;Demite, Feres, & Lofego, 2015;Duarte, Navia, Santos, Rideiqui, & Silva, 2015).…”