Biology of Apricot Bud Gall Mite, Acalitus phloeocoptes Determining the Emergence Time of the First Generation Using the Degree Day Model and Its Control

Abstract

Nourpour, F., S. Aramideh, S. Mirfakhraie and H. Kamali. 2024. Biology of Apricot Bud Gall Mite, Acalitus phloeocoptes Determining the Emergence Time of the First Generation Using the Degree Day Model and Its Control. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 42(3): 275-280. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-001255 The plum bud gall mite, Acalitus phloeocopte Nalepa (Acari: Trombidiformes) is one of the important pests of plum trees. The biology and control of this mite during the 2021-2022 period was investigated. The results obtained showed that this mite had four generations a year and spends the winter as adult female mite. The estimated degree days (DD) for the emergence of 50% of wintering mites with two temperature thresholds of 6.2 and 5.8°C degrees were calculated as 68.50 and 88.00 DD in 2021 and 72.00 and 90.50 DD in 2022, respectively. The number of new galls formed by this mite following different treatments such as volck oil (as winter oil), liquid sulfur, propargit, phenpyroxymit, abamectin, tetradifon and sunmite along with water as a control treatment was determined. The results showed that in 2021, the sulfur treatment led to the least number of new galls 14.22±0.53, whereas in 2022 abamectin gave the least number of new galls 17.70±1.32. The integrated pest/crop management including pruning and removing infested branches in winter, a foliar spray with 80% liquid sulfur at the end of winter before budding or spraying with abamectin using degree-days following 50% overwintering mite emergence from galls, gave the best results and is recommended for adoption by farmers. Keywords: Biology, degree day, plum bud mite, control, acaricides.