African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6832

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluations of four mite predators (Acari: Phytosiidae) released for suppression of spider mite infesting protected crop of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Muhammad Sarwar1,2*, Wu Kongming2, Xu Xuenong2 and Wang Endong2
1Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Tandojam-70060, Sindh, Pakistan. 2Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing-100094, China.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 30 July 2010
  •  Published: 04 August 2011

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of 4 mite predators such as Neoseiulus pseudolongispinosus (Xin, Liang and Ke), Euseius castaneae (Wang and Xu), Euseius utilis (Liang and Ke) and Euseius finlandicus(Oudemans) (Phytosiidae) released for the suppression of spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch) infesting sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in greenhouse. When the predatory mites were released on sweetpepper plants, their establishment was successful to control the population of spider mite at a lower level and results revealed significant differences in declining pest density among predators released and  non released plants; in addition, non significant differences were detected in treated plants. Released predators along an untreated control treatment to manage T. urticae resulted decline in pest densities from 0.82 to 1.02 per leaf, compared to 1.42 observed within the plants served as control, indicating the potential of these mite predators for augmentative releases. Among all the treatments tested, mite predators recovered were higher with N. pseudolongispinosus and E. utilis in equal proportion (0.12 per leaf) followed by E. castaneae and E. finlandicus (0.11 per leaf) inside released plants in comparison to check treatment where no predators were released (0.03 per leaf). The results for allocations of the pest and predatory arthropods on the plant canopy indicated that more prey and predator mites were found on middle and bottom leaves as compared with upper leaves of plant. Observational data suggested that predation on spider mite by the existing predators fauna may have perfect potential to provide biological control of pest in greenhouse crops.

 

Key words: Biological control, phytosiidae, tetranychidae, sweet pepper, China.