BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF THE TWO-SPOTTED SPIDER MITE TETRANYCHUS URTICAEKOCH BY THE PHYTOSEIID MITE PHYTOSEIULUS PERSIMILIS (ATHIAS- HENRIOT) IN CANTALOUPE FIELD IN SHARKIA GOVERNORATE (ACARI, PHYTOSEIIDAE& TETRANYCHIDAE)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Studies were carried out during two successive seasons; 2003 and 2004 in Cantaloupe field, at EL Salhia EL-Gededa, Sharkia Governorate, to control the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch by releasing the predator mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (A. H.) with the rates of the 30, 20 and 10 predator individuals/bit in the treatments A, B and C, respectively. The pest populations were generally low or moderate at the time of the predator releases then decreased gradually until the last, inspection. The control treatment was left without any predator. The predator release was made by bean leaflets harbouring the predator individuals. The reduction of acarine mite population was 93, 88 and 75 % in the first seasons 2003 but reached 99.7, 96 and 94.5 % in the second seasons 2004 in treatments A, B and C, respectively. A positive relationship occurred between the numbers of released predator and the percentage of pest reduction. Obtained results indicated the possibility to control the two-spotted spider mite T urticae when its average population density was moderate at 7.9, 7.5 and 7.9 moving stages/leaf in treatments A, B and C in the first season or small at 4.9, 5.0 and 4.8 pest individuals leaf for the previous treatments at the second season with the rates 30, 20, 10 predators/bit for the previous three treatments.

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