Effectiveness of Swirski-mite (Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot) in control of two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) on cucumber plants treated with biostimulants

Abstract

Summary The experiments were conducted, on cucumber plants cultivar Aramis, treated and not treated with the biostimulants: Asahi SL and Siapton 10 L, in the glasshouse and laboratory conditions. The aim of the study was to evaluate if the application of biostimulants in cucumber cultivation can influence the efficacy of biological control of Tetranychus urticae by predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot. It was found that A. swirskii decreased development of T. urticae population on both treated and not treated plants with biostimulants. The effectiveness of A. swirskii, at the low infestation of spider mites, was similar on the plants cultivated without biostimulants and the plants treated with Asahi SL while lower on the plants treated with Siapton 10 L. A similar dependence was also observed for the development of predator population on these plants. The highest predator population developed on plants severely infested by spider mites and treated with Asahi SL. With large number of mites on leaves the biostimulant increased also effectiveness of predator, which occurred as high consumption of T. urticae eggs and young larvae.