Biological Performance of Tetranychus bastosi (Acari: Tetranychidae) on different hosts

Abstract

Tetranychus bastosi Tuttle, Baker and Sales (Acari: Tetranychidae) has been observed in more than 36 host species and it is considered a potential pest mite for several crops, however its occurrence is still restricted to Brazil. The present study determined the biological, reproductive parameters and host preference of T. bastosi in three plant species: Morus rubra L. (Moraceae); Ipomoea batatas L. (Convolvulaceae); and Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae). The incubation period of T. bastosi eggs was longer in M. rubra (5.9 days), followed by I. batatas and P. guajava (4.0 days for both). The longest larval period was observed in P. guajava (5.7 days). The longest durations of the protonymph and deutonymph stages were recorded in P. guajava (3 days) and M. rubra (2.3 days). However, T. bastosi could not complete its life cicle on P. guajava. The longest period from egg to adult of T. bastosi was observed in I. batatas (30 days). The highest longevity of T. bastosi was observed in the hosts I. batatas and M. rubra (39.8 and 30.2 days, respectively). The longest average duration of a generation (T) was observed on M. rubra 21.3 days. Nevertheless, for the intrinsic capacity for population increase (rm) and finite rate of increase (λ) no differences were observed on I. batatas and M. rubra. In this sense, T. bastosi presents a high biological performance in I. batatas and M. rubra, however P. guajava was not considered a suitable host for the red spider mite.