Biocontrol Science and Technology (2020) 30, 403-417

Fatemeh Pirayeshfar, Seyed Ali Safavi, Hamid Reza Sarraf Moayeri and Gerben J. Messelink (2020)
The potential of highly nutritious frozen stages of Tyrophagus putrescentiae as a supplemental food source for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii
Biocontrol Science and Technology 30 (5), 403-417
Abstract: Astigmatid mites have potential as supplementary prey items to support generalist predator populations in crops. However, applying living prey mites has some disadvantages; if not predated they have the potential to cause crop damage and allergies. In this study, we evaluated various diets based on the astigmatid mite Tyrophagous putrescentiae (Schrank) as a supplemental food source for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Ahias-Henriot. Eggs and larvae of T. putrescentiae were reared on a diet of dog food (rich in proteins and fat) or bran (rich in carbohydrate); they were offered either frozen or alive, and either with or without cattail pollen (Typha angustifolia L.). Oviposition rate of A. swirskii fed with frozen mite larvae reared on dog food was similar to the rate observed when they were fed with cattail pollen or living prey mites, but developmental time of A. swirskii was longer on this frozen diet than on a diet of living prey mites or pollen. Both living and frozen prey mites were, in contrast with cattail pollen, not suitable for oviposition by western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande. In a greenhouse study, the use of frozen prey mite stages as supplemental food on chrysanthemum plants allowed populations of A. swirskii to establish, but not increase; in contrast, provision of living prey mites and pollen increased A. swirskii populations on plants. Hence, our study shows that living prey mites, but not frozen prey mites, had the greatest potential as a supplemental food source for A. swirskii.
(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): Gerben J. Messelink

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis
Amblyseius swirskii (predator)	Frankliniella occidentalis