Abstract
Worldwide, the potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is one of the most severe pests affecting potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), whether in open-air crops or during tuber storage. This work examines the potential control of this pest by two species of predatory mites, Macrocheles robustulus (Berlese) and Blattisocius tarsalis (Berlese), on pest eggs under laboratory conditions. In the two first assays, the acceptance rate of the pest eggs was assessed for each predatory mite. Then, in a third assay, the functional response of B. tarsalis was studied. The results showed that Macrocheles robustulus did not prey on the pest eggs (number of eggs surviving = 4.33 ± 0.38), whereas B. tarsalis did (number of eggs surviving = 0.5 ± 0.5). Likewise, B. tarsalis showed a type II functional response when it killed the eggs. The results showed the potential use of Blattisocius tarsalis as a biological control agent of P. operculella in potato under storage conditions.
Highlights
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the fourth major food production crop in the world, after wheat, maize and rice
Considering the above information, this work aims to assess the potential of B. tarsalis and Macrochels robustulus (Berlese) mites as biological control agents of potato tubermoth (PTM)
For the predatory species M. robustulus, the average number of surviving PTM eggs was 4.33 ± 0.38 with no differences when compared with the check 4.70 ± 0.49 (Figure 1a)
Summary
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the fourth major food production crop in the world, after wheat, maize and rice. Pests and diseases cause pronounced losses in potato crops; on average, 40.3% of losses are caused by plant pathogens and viruses, 21.1% by animal pests and 8.3% by weeds [2]. The principal arthropod pests affecting this crop are Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), the potato tubermoth complex (Lep.: Gelechiidae) and aphids, mainly Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae), which are not just a pest and an important virus vector in the crop [2,3]. The PTM is a global pest of solanaceous crops and weeds, and is especially devastating to potatoes [5], causing losses of up to 80% in the field and up to
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