Experimental and Applied Acarology (2006) 40, 157-174

Imeuda P. Furtado, Gilberto J. de Moraes, Serge Kreiter and Markus Knapp (2006)
Search for effective natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi in south and southeast Brazil
Experimental and Applied Acarology 40 (3-4), 157-174
Abstract: Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard is an important pest of Solanaceae in several countries. Introduced accidentally to Africa, it presently occurs in many countries of that continent. In some of them, it is considered a key pest. The suspected area of origin of this mite is South America. The objective of the present study was to identify phytoseiid mites on solanaceous plants in association with T. evansi in south and southeast Brazil for introduction in the African continent for use in a classic biological control program. Almost 1,400 predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae were collected, on 22 solanaceous species. The Amblyseiinae were the most diverse group in this study. Twenty-three of the species found belong to this subfamily, while only three belong to the Typhlodrominae and two to the Phytoseiinae. The most abundant and most frequent phytoseiid species were Phytoseius guianensis De Leon and Galendromus annectens (De Leon) of the Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae, respectively. The most frequent and abundant species of Amblyseiinae was Neoseiulus tunus (De Leon). Phytoseius guianensis and N. tunus were never found in association with T. evansi and G. annectens was found only once in association with it. Two factors suggested Phytoseiulus longipes Evans as the most promising predator found in this study. It could walk very well on tomato leaves infested by T. evansi, without being hampered by the profuse webbing produced by the prey and by the trichomes. In addition, several specimens of both sexes including eggs and nymphs of the predator were found associated with T. evansi on three different plant species and in two different periods of the year, when T. evansi was the only arthropod present on the leaves.
(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): Gilberto J. de Moraes, Serge Kreiter, Markus Knapp

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus evansi		Brazil (south)
Neoseiulus tunus (predator)			Brazil (south)
Galendromus annectens (predator)			Brazil (south)
Phytoseiulus longipes (predator)	Tetranychus evansi	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	Brazil (south)
Phytoseius guianensis (predator)			Brazil (NE)