Mites Inhabiting Date Palm Trees and their Dynamics with Reference to Reproduction and Life Table Parameters of Raoiella indica Hirst (Tenuipalpidae) at Three Different Temperatures

Document Type : Original research articles

Author

Plant Protection Research Institute, A.R.C., Dokki, Egypt

Abstract

Twenty six mite species in 22 genera and 17 families were collected from date palm trees in two Egyptian Governorates during 2012 and 2013. Population dynamics of mites associated with date palm leaves were reported. Biological aspects of Raoiella indica on leaves of Phoenix dactylifera L. were studied under laboratory conditions of 15, 20 and 25±2°C and 60 ± 5% RH. Feeding at 15± 2°C significantly prolonged predator longevity (42.38 & 37.26 days), for females& males, respectively and caused a higher rate of fertility averaged 96 egg through an average oviposition period of 28 day. Life table parameters showed that the highest intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was reached as 0.149 at 20°C, respectively. This range of temperature was considered as the optimal range for this mite. Lower rm value as 0.115 was obtained at 15°C. Time for population doubling was determined as 6.05, 4.65 and 4.83 at studied temperatures, respectively.

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