Predatory Potential of Euseius alatus (Phytoseiidae) on Different Life Stages of Oligonychus ilicis (Tetranychidae) on Coffee Leaves Under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

This study evaluated the predatory capacity of Euseius alatus (DeLeon) as a biological control agent of the pest mite Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) on coffee leaves under laboratory conditions, using arenas containing 25 O. ilicis per coffee (Coffea arabica) leaf to one specimen of each stage of the predator mite. The functional response and oviposition rate of adult females of E. alatus were evaluated on coffee leaf arenas and offered from 1 to 125 immature stages of O. ilicis per arena. The number of preys killed and the number of eggs laid by the predator were evaluated every 24 h during 8 days. The preys consumed were daily replaced. Male and female adults of E. alatus were the most efficient in killing all developmental stages of O. ilicis. Larvae and nymphs of O. ilicis were the most consumed by all stages of the predatory mite. The functional response and oviposition rates of E. alatus increased as the prey density increased, with a positive and highly significant correlation. Regression analysis suggested a type II functional response, with a maximum predation of 22 O. ilicis/arena and a maximum oviposition rate of 1.7 eggs/day at a density of 70 O. ilicis/arena.

Predatory Potential of <i>Phytoseiulus macropilis</i> (Banks) Preying on <i>Tetranychus urticae</i> Koch (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae)

“…The results found in the present study, about increase of female oviposition with de increase of prey density, are similar to those found in a study on the effect of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) density in the functional and numerical response of Euseius alatus DeLeon and Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark and Muma [18]; additionally, to the results of the study on Euseius concordis (Chant) functional and numerical response [33]; finally to the results of the evaluation of E. alatus predation potential [34]. All of these mites are phytoseiids, like P. macropilis in this work.…”

Increased atmospheric CO2 combined with local climatic variation affects phenolics and spider mite populations in coffee trees

“…Treatments Toledo et al 2013, Castilho et al 2015, however they also may compete with predatory mites of other families (Sato et al 2001, Mineiro et al 2008. The lower abundance of mites observed during rainy seasons when compared to dry seasons may be also due to abiotic factors such as temperature and relative air humidity.…”

“…The Phytoseiidae, predatory mites, is widely and commonly found in a range of different coffee management systems (Mineiro et al 2008, Teodoro et al 2009, Peixoto et al 2017. Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are efficient predators of phytophagous mites and are considered the most efficient natural enemies for biological control of pest mites (Reis et al 2008, Toledo et al 2013. The regular occurrence of pests including mite populations, year after year, reduces productivity and the quality of coffee and is known that the coffee management production interferes on mite population, being that more sustainable systems of production present smaller abundance of mites (Peixoto et al 2017).…”

The effects of storage temperature, food, and humidity on survival and progeny of Neoseiulus bicaudus

“…Biological control is an environmentally friendly approach and an important component of most integrated pest management (IPM) programs (Seyahooei et al, 2018). Predatory mites, especially Phytoseiidae, are efficient natural enemies of phytophagous mites and have been used to control a range of pest mites and thrips (de Toledo et al, 2013; Ghazy & Amano, 2016; Kidane et al, 2015; Li et al, 2021; Shen et al, 2017). Neoseiulus bicaudus Wainstein (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a predatory mite species recently observed in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Wang et al, 2015).…”