Pest management plan for the two-spotted spider mite,Tetranychus urticae, based on the natural occurrence of the predatory miteNeoseiulus californicusin strawberries

Abstract

We developed and validated a management plan for Tetranychus urticae in strawberries, based on the natural control exerted by Neoseiulus californicus and on acaricide applications made only when necessary. The plan has two components: a sampling protocol and a decision chart. Systematic presence-absence sampling of active T. urticae and N. californicus was used to predict prey and predator densities relying only on the proportion of T. urticaeinfested leaflets, once the occurrence of the predator was detected in at least one of them. The decision chart, which was constructed taking into account the pest and predator densities and the pest's rate of increase, determines the range in the proportion of T. urticae-infested leaflets that will require different actions: to use selective acaricides and re-check at 7 days, to take no action but re-check at 7 days, or to take no action but re-check at 14 days. The management plan was potentially effective and feasible, showing that natural populations of N. californicus can consistently exert strong top-down suppression of T. urticae. Thus, N. californicus is a promising candidate for conservation biological control.

Conservation biological control in strawberry: effect of different pollen on development, survival, and reproduction of Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

“…Neoseiulus californicus has been reported as highly effective in controlling two the spotted spider mites, T. urticae, in several crops (Strong and Croft 1995;Sato et al 2007;Greco et al 2011). This predator can adapt to variation in prey populations providing stable pest suppression over time (Escudero and Ferragut 2005;Greco et al 2005Greco et al , 2011.…”

“…In general, this strategy entails the removal or reduction of harmful conditions to natural enemies, or promotes favorable factors that are absent or at inadequate levels (Barbosa 1998). For example, the biological control of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) by conservation of N. californicus (McGregor) from reducing acaricide applications (Greco et al 2011) and conservation of polyphagous insect predators of the genus Macrolophus (Hemiptera: Miridae) on noncrop plants in the Mediterranean vegetable agroecosystems (Alomar et al 1994;Perdikis et al 2007).…”

“…This predator can adapt to variation in prey populations providing stable pest suppression over time (Escudero and Ferragut 2005;Greco et al 2005Greco et al , 2011. Their ability to survive on various food sources contributes to their persistence in the agro ecosystem (Cross et al 2001;Rhodes et al 2006).…”

Selection of full and half brothers families of yellow passionfruit resistant to Tetranychus mexicanus

“…The control of mite of the genus Tetranychus spp. has been carried out using synthetic chemical pesticides (VERONEZ et al, 2012), plant extracts (ERDOGAN et al, 2012), and biological control (GRECO et al, 2011). The possibility of control by genetic resistance has been studied in vine (VALADÃO et al, 2012) and cotton (MIYAZAKI et al, 2012).…”

Negative interaction between twospotted spider mites and aphids mediated by feeding damage and honeydew

“…Although both herbivorous guilds can coexist on the same plant and attain high abundances (Cédola & Greco, 2010; Greco et al , 2011), a large number of both species on the same leaflet is uncommon (N.M. Greco, personal observation). Our hypothesis is that there exist negative interactions between TSSM and aphids in strawberries.…”