Abstract
BackgroundUsing alternative diets for the mass production of phytoseiid predatory mites may facilitate their cost-effective rearing. Factitious prey is often used as an alternative food source for mass rearing of generalist phytoseiids. The generalist predator, Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans), is a commercially available biocontrol agent against various pests. We assessed the suitability of two factitious prey, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), as diets for long-term rearing (up to 30 generations) of N. cucumeris, when compared with a natural prey, Tetranychus urticae Koch.ResultsThe predator completed its development on all tested diets successfully. Under laboratory conditions, Tyrophagus putrescentiae could support the development and oviposition of the predator for up to 30 generations even better than its natural prey T. urticae. However, the eggs of E. kuehniella were not suitable for this predator because of the longer pre-adult period and adults failed to reproduce.ConclusionsSince rearing on T. putrescentiae for a long time had no adverse effects on the predator’s performance, this factitious prey could be considered as a suitable and cost-effective diet for mass production of N. cucumeris.
Highlights
Using alternative diets for the mass production of phytoseiid predatory mites may facilitate their costeffective rearing
Life table parameters of N. cucumeris fed on E. kuehniella The predator, N. cucumeris, did not feed consistently on the eggs of E. kuehniella, and about 7% of individuals reached adulthood
Life table parameters of N. cucumeris fed on T. putrescentiae Significant differences in the duration of immature stages were observed among different tested generations (Table 1)
Summary
Using alternative diets for the mass production of phytoseiid predatory mites may facilitate their costeffective rearing. Factitious prey is often used as an alternative food source for mass rearing of generalist phytoseiids. The ability of T. urticae to develop resistance to a range of chemicals has created critical situations for practical pest control To overcome this problem a more durable crop protection solution based on Phytoseiid mites play a major role in keeping phytophagous mite populations at low densities and decreasing their deleterious impact (Al-Azzazy and Alhewairini 2020). Their high consumption rate of prey individuals, high reproductive rate, and rapid developmental rate make them important biological control agents (Hoy 2011). Most generalist phytoseiid mites use alternative food sources, promoting their persistence in the field
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