Mites (Acari) associated with the fig trees ( Ficus carica L.) in Estahban (Fars Province), Iran

Abstract

The common fig (Ficus carica L.) is cultivated for its fruits in warm and temperate parts of Europe, Mediterranean and Iran. It is the main garden product in Estahban township, Fars province, southern Iran and area under cultivation of figs reaches 22000 hectares. There are some experiments conducted on fauna of fig mite. The mite Pronematus ubiquitus has been reported as faunistic of fig orchards in Khozestan and Saveh (Kamali & Shishehbor 1989; Baradaran & Arbabi 2002). Also, Rhycaphytoptus ficifolia was reported as pest in figs in Iran and other part of world (Arbabi et al. 1994; Abou-Awad et al. 1999). Literatures show that there are few studies regarding fauna of fig mites in Iran, therefore this study was performed to evaluate this mite in fig trees of Estahban. Estahban is located in the latitude 29o 07 N and longitude 54o 02 E and altitude of 1767 m above sea level. During 2010–11, in the course of a faunistic survey of mites associated with fig mite in Estahban, soil, leaves and fruits samples were taken from fig orchards. Samples were transferred into the Acarological laboratory of the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University. Mites were extracted using a Berlese funnel or separated under a steriomicroscope. Specimens were removed and cleared in lactophenol and mounted in Hoyer's medium on glass microscopic slides for identification. Specimens are deposited in the Acarological Collection of the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran and Acarological Collection, The Acarological Society of Iran, Kraj, Iran.