Population Growth and Characterization of Plant Injuries of Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley (Acari: Tarsonemidae) on Rice.

Abstract

Rice is attacked by Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley, a mite that has dispersed throughout many countries causing important loss on rice production. Rice plants of the variety Morelos A-92 were infested with S. spinki, and its population growth was estimated along plant development. Further, the morphological and histological injuries associated to the mite attack were characterized. The highest infestation level was obtained 13 weeks after plant infestation, with an average of 58.5 mites per plant, predominantly females. Morphological injuries were categorized from level 0 (no injuries from uninfested plants) to level 3, characterized by the highest injuries represented by blotches on the adaxial epidermis of the leaf sheath and on panicles and grains. Plants ranked within levels 0, 1, and 2 for morphological injury did not exhibit clear histological injuries, while those at level 3 exhibited histological injury characterized by destruction of cells of the adaxial epidermis, disorder, color change, and hypertrophy in the mesophyll cells, as well as color change in the abaxial epidermis. Thus, it presented a significant correlation between morphological injuries and mite density level, which can be further adopted to help the control decision-making process for this mite on rice.