Population dynamics of Tetranychus urticae, Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae and Euseius scutalis on two fig cultivars in Akhmim district, Sohag governorate, in relation to weather factors and plant phenology

Mohamed, Azza Abdelgawad; Desoky, Abd El-Aleem S.; Fouad, Hany; Amin, Nourhan

doi:10.21608/ajesa.2022.291545

Population dynamics of Tetranychus urticae, Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae and Euseius scutalis on two fig cultivars in Akhmim district, Sohag governorate, in relation to weather factors and plant phenology

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

¹ Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, plant protection Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center,Egypt

² Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt

³ Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.

10.21608/ajesa.2022.291545

Abstract

Fig, Ficus carica L. is the oldest deciduous fruit of all cultivated fruit crops. Fig is considered as one of the important fruit crops from an economic point of view especially in Egypt. Fig is liable for infestation by many pest species and diseases, which cause crop losses. The current study was carried out on two fig leaves’ cultivars (e.g., Sultani and Parchment) cultivated in Akhmim district, Sohag governorate, in order to study the population densities of three mite species (e.g., Tetranychus urticae Koch, Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae Keifer, and Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) on 15 Mar. 2020 to 10 Dec. 2021. The mean number per 30 leaves over the two years was respectively 247.3, 153.6, and 29.0 motile stages for the three studied species. The tetranyhid mite, T. urticae showed two peaks on both cultivars per year with similar means. The first peak was at mid-June, and the second at mid-November and at the end of November in the first and second year, respectively. In general, the second peak was higher on ‘Sultani’, while the first one was higher on ‘Parchment’. The eriophyid mite, R. ficifoliae showed also two peaks on both cultivars in the mid-June and late-November. The phytoseiid, E. scutalis showed two peaks at end of June and mid to end of November for both years. The results showed that the population densities of mite species on fig cultivars were affected by the ambient climatic conditions (i.e., temperature and relative humidity) in addition to the plant age emulating plant phenology. Plant age as third degree of polynomial had much more significant effect than weather factors.

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