BIODIVERSITY OF SOIL MITES ASSOCIATED WITH WHEAT AND SOYBEAN CROPS IN SHARKEIA AND BEHEIRA GOVERNORATES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Cotton and Field Crops Mites Res. Dept., Plant Protection Rresearch Institute, A.R.C.,

2 Cotton and Field Crops Mites Res. Dept., Plant Protection Research Institute, A.R.C.,

Abstract

biodiversity of different soil mite associated with both wheat and soybean crops surveyed in Sharkeia and Beheira governorates during two successive seasons 2016 and 2017. Fifty-seven mite species belonging to 41 genera under 22 families belonging to four sub-orders; Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Cryptostigmata and Astigmata were identified. The total numbers of the collected mite groups recorded 69, 295, 533 and 602 individuals for Astigmata, Mesostigmata, Cryptostigmata and Prostigmata in Sharkeia, while the number of mites recorded 104, 378, 282 and 405 individuals for the previous groups in Beheira, respectively. Soil mites associated with wheat crop were higher numbers than soil mites of soybean. The oribatid and mesostigmatid mite species exhibited the higher number of soil mites in soil wheat followed by prostigmatid and astigmatid, while the low number of mites were recorded in soil cultivated by soybean plants.

Keywords