Studies on phenology and harmfulness of Aceria carvi Nal. (Acari: Eriophyidae) on caraway, Carum carvi L., in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Caraway (Carum carvi L.) belongs to the traditional crops which have been grown in Bohemia since the end of the 19th century. Depressaria daucella (Denis and Schiffermuller) and Aceria carvi Nal. are two main pests of caraway in the Czech Republic. The latter becomes a serious problem in major caraway-growing areas. So far, no effective method for its control is known. The aim of this paper is to describe the phenology of symptoms of A. carvi infestation and damage caused by this pest. Our observation revealed that although A. carvi overwinters hidden within leaves of young caraway plants, the first symptoms are usually not visible before the start of flowering. Though the initial density of the pest is low, the mite population multiplies during the season when the pest attacks plant tissues and causes development of galls on leaves and flowers. Comparison of healthy plants and plants infested by A. carvi showed that infested plants had significantly more umbels but produced far fewer seeds, and the yield of caraway was thus substantially decreased. Recommendations for crop management methods to suppress the pest are given.