Abstract
The biology of Phyllocoptes adalius Keifer (Acari: Eriophyoidea) and influence of insemination on female fecundity and longevity were studied. The experiment was conducted at a constant temperature of 25 ± 0.5 °C, 70–80 % RH and 16-h photoperiod. A modified method of mite rearing on detached leaves in closed cells was successfully applied and demonstrated to be efficient for biological studies of eriophyoids. Survival and development duration of the immature stages, as well as fecundity of female and longevity of adults, were calculated. The longest time of development was observed for eggs, which was almost twice as long as that for larvae and nymphs. Egg-to-adult development did not significantly differ between males and females. Survival rate for the immature stages was highest for nymphs (98.2 %), exceeding 86.2 % for overall pre-adult stages. Life table parameters of P. adalius were estimated as follows: mean generation time (T), 15.8 days; doubling time (Dt), 3.3 days; net reproductive rate (R 0), 27.8 female eggs/female; the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m), 0.21 female eggs/female/day; the finite rate of increase (λ), 1.23 female eggs/female/day; and sex ratio (proportion females), 0.82. Our studies indicate that P. adalius has the potential for rapid population increase, becoming one of the most important rose mite species.
Highlights
Eriophyoid mites cause significant losses in crop production around the world (Lindquist et al 1996)
Our studies indicate that P. adalius has the potential for rapid population increase, becoming one of the most important rose mite species
Results showed that P. adalius has a short developmental period; a slightly shorter or similar length of development was observed for Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (AbouAwad 1979; Haque and Kawai 2003) and Metaculus mangiferae (Attiah) (Abou-Awad et al 2011b)
Summary
Eriophyoid mites cause significant losses in crop production around the world (Lindquist et al 1996). This is because of their high adaptability; able to inhabit and infest all plant parts, except roots; and their capacity to transmit viruses (de Lillo and Skoracka 2010; Mielke-Ehret et al 2010). Because of Eriophyoidea’s impact on growth and yield of infested plants, as well as their high host-specialization, they have been examined as potential biological control agents for weed species (Rosenthal 1996; Smith et al 2010). Despite the importance of eriophyoids, either as pests or biological agents, knowledge on their biology and ecology is limited. To date, detailed studies on the life history of eriophyoids have been performed for only a few species (Sabelis and Bruin 1996; Abou-Awad et al 2000, 2005, 2011a, b; Ebrahim 2000; Shi 2001; Gondim and de Moraes 2003; Haque and Kawai 2003; Ansaloni and Perring 2004; Skoracka and Kuczynski 2004, 2006; Ozman and Goolsby 2005; Walton et al 2010; Stoeva et al 2011)
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