Abstract
The nutritional suitability of date palm pollen for the predatory mite Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski and Amitai) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was tested by assessing the development and life table parameters of the predator at two relative humidity levels, 35 and 60 % RH, at 30 °C in the laboratory. C. negevi successfully developed and reproduced when fed on a fresh date palm pollen diet at both humidity levels. However, at 35 % RH, the incubation period and development of immatures were significantly longer, female longevity and fecundity significantly decreased, and all life table parameter values were negatively affected. The results obtained in this study were compared with those of some previously published studies in the same field. The date palm pollen could be a suitable food source for the mass production of C. negevi. Moreover, the successful reproduction and development of C. negevi fed date palm pollen at low RH (35 %) makes it a good alternate food source in the field to conserve the population of the predator under local arid environmental conditions.
Highlights
Phytoseiid mites (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) play an important role as biocontrol agents in different agro-ecosystems throughout the world (Helle and Sabelis, 1985; Gerson et al 2003; McMurtry et al 2013)
Biology of Cydnoseius negevi feeding on fresh date palm pollen under different humidity levels
Cydnoseius negevi successfully completed its development when fed on date palm pollen at both 35 % and 60 % RH levels and 30 °C
Summary
Phytoseiid mites (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) play an important role as biocontrol agents in different agro-ecosystems throughout the world (Helle and Sabelis, 1985; Gerson et al 2003; McMurtry et al 2013). The phytoseiid mite, Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski & Amitai), is a common species in the Middle East (Abou-Awad et al 1998; Palevsky et al 2009; Hountondji et al 2010) It is widely distributed in Saudi Arabia and has been found to be abundant in date palm orchards along with the date palm mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) (Negm et al 2012a,b; Alatawi et al 2017). As a generalist facultative (type III) phytoseiid predator (Momen et al 2009; McMurtry et al 2013), C. negevi is able to successfully develop and reproduce on a wide range of food sources i.e., eriophyid and spider mites, thrips, and pollen of different plant species (Momen 1997; Momen et al 2009; Negm et al 2014; Hussein et al 2016). The possibility of mass rearing a phytoseiid predator on alternative and more
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