Feeding, Reproduction, and Development of the Red Palm Mite (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) on Selected Palms and Banana Cultivars in Quarantine

Abstract

ABSTRACT The red palm mite, Raoiella indica Hirst, an important pest of coconut, banana, and date palms is a new invasive pest in the Western Hemisphere. The red palm mite (RPM) has been observed attacking bananas and plantains in Dominica and in Florida (M. A. Hoy, A. Cocco, personal observation). In order to develop an efficient method to rear the RPM in quarantine for a classical biological control project, several banana and plantain varieties were tested as hosts for the RPM. Bananas are more desirable than coconut (a favored host plant) because bananas are easier to rear in small cages and will produce new shoots quickly after pruning. Red palm mite females did not establish on the banana and plantain varieties (Dwarf Cavendish, Dwarf Nino, Gran Nain, Dwarf Zan Moreno, Dwarf Green, Truly Tiny, Musa sumatrana × Gran Nain, Dwarf Puerto Rican, Rose, Nang Phaya, Misi Luki, Manzano, Lady Finger, Glui Kai, and Ebun Musak) of leaf discs tested, but they established on coconut leaf discs. The mites could no...