Predation and oviposition rates of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae) on different tomato hybrids

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

1 Zoology and Agric. Nematology Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo Univ., Giza, Egypt

2 Zoology and Agricultural Nematology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Tetranychus urticae, a prominent pest of tomatoes, is typically managed through various control measures such as chemical pesticides; however, the use of predatory mites like Phytoseiulus persimilis has emerged as an effective and environmentally friendly method for controlling its population. This study investigated the impact of prey stage, prey stage density, and tomato host plant characteristics on the predation and oviposition rates of the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis females on Tetranychus urticae, alone and their interaction. The results showed that the predation performance of P. persimilis was significantly (p < 0.01) affected by these factors. Predator predation and oviposition rates were highly dependent on tomato cultivars, likely due to the adverse effects of trichome density on the predator. Plants of the Redjayda hybrid had the highest trichome density (105.7 glandular and non-glandular trichomes/mm2), while Miranda hybrid exhibited the lowest density (47.3 trichomes/mm2). Daily predation and fecundity rates were highest on Miranda and lowest on Redjayda hybrid. Interactions of factors significantly influenced prey consumption rates; notably, the highest daily predation rate was observed on nymphs (12.2 individuals) at a density of 60 individuals/leaflet of the Miranda hybrid. Conversely, this rate decreased when consuming adult stages at a density of 5 individuals/leaflet on Redjayda tomato hybrid. Further investigations into the interplay among host plants, mite herbivores, and predator systems, particularly the processes underlying the adverse impacts on P. persimilis as well as on T. urticae, are necessary to devise effective biological control strategies against T. urticae on various plants.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics