Abstract
Mites of family Stigmaeidae are potential predators of various species of phytophagous mites through the world.The present study was conducted in Acarology Research Laboratory Plant Protection Research Institute, Dokki, Egypt. The aim of this work was to study the effect of different prey species on the biology of stigmaeid mite, Agistemus vulgaris Soliman and Gomaa. The results showed that A.vulgaris completed its life cycle in 12.56 days when fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch as compared to 12.09 and 10.75 days when fed on Oligonychus sayedi Zaher, Gomaa & El-Enany and Aculops lycopersici Massee, respectively. The maximum average fecundity (53.75 eggs/female) was recorded after feeding on O. sayedi where as after feeding on T. urticae and A. lycopersici , it was 28.43 and 21.93, respectively. Predatory mite has better life table parameters in comparison with the other prey mites. The biological aspects of the predator was as follow, Mean generation time (T) averaged 18.63, 19.18 and 15.34 days, respectively; Net reproductive rate (Ro) averaged 12.82, 24.38 and 9.81; intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.13, 0.16 and 0.14; finite rate of increase (λ) averaged 1.14, 1.18 and 1.16 when the mite fed on immature stages of T. urticae, O. sayedi and A. lycopersici, respectively. A. vulgaris is considered a promising biological control agent against phytophagous mites.
Highlights
Members of Stigmaeidae are important natural enemies of several phytophagous mite pests on various crops (Gomaa, 1968; Santos,1976)
Agistemus and Zetzellia, which are both common genera of the family Stigmaeidae, are polyphagous predators that have potential in the control of various tetranychid and eriophyid pests (El-Badry et al 1969; Goldarazena et al 2004and Khodayari et al 2008)
Agistemus exsertus has been reported as an excellent predator of Aculops lycopersici (Massee), a serious pest throughout the Mediterranean region
Summary
Members of Stigmaeidae are important natural enemies of several phytophagous mite pests on various crops (Gomaa, 1968; Santos,1976). Agistemus and Zetzellia, which are both common genera of the family Stigmaeidae, are polyphagous predators that have potential in the control of various tetranychid and eriophyid pests (El-Badry et al 1969; Goldarazena et al 2004and Khodayari et al 2008). In Egypt Agistemus exsertus Gonzalez, one of the most common stigmaeid mites, is known as an egg predator of various tetranychoid mites (El-Badry, et al, 1969; El-Bagoury et al, 1989). Eriophyid mites provide a better source of food for the development of stigmaeid mites than do tetranychid mites (Thistlewood et al, 1996). Agistemus exsertus has been reported as an excellent predator of Aculops lycopersici (Massee), a serious pest throughout the Mediterranean region
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