Experimental and Applied Acarology (2019) 79, 299-307
Stine K. Jacobsen, Ingeborg Klingen, Jørgen Eilenberg, Bo Markussen and Lene Sigsgaard (2019)
Entomopathogenic fungal conidia marginally affect the behavior of the predators Orius majusculus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) foraging for healthy Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Experimental and Applied Acarology 79 (3-4), 299-307
Abstract: We determined how conidia of arthropod-pathogenic fungi on leaves affected the behavior of two predators—Orius majusculus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)—when offered a choice between preying on two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), in the presence or absence of infective conidia of Metarhizium brunneum (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) and Neozygites floridana (Entomophthoromycota: Neozygitaceae). The results indicate no significant relation between the presence of conidia and predator behavior. The only indication of interference is between the generalists O. majusculus and M. brunneum, with a trend towards more time spent feeding and more prey encounters turning into feeding events on leaf discs without conidia than on leaf discs with conidia. Our results show that the presence of fungal conidia does not alter the preying behavior of the predators, and using predators and fungi together is not limited by any interference between organisms in the short term.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ingeborg Klingen, Jørgen Eilenberg, Lene Sigsgaard
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tetranychus urticae | ||||
| Phytoseiulus persimilis (predator) | Tetranychus urticae | |||
| Orius majusculus (predator) | Tetranychus urticae | |||
| Neozygites floridana (entomopathogen) | Tetranychus urticae | |||
| Metarhizium brunneum (entomopathogen) | Tetranychus urticae |
