Experimental and Applied Acarology (2009) 47, 121-132

Raquel Abad-Moyano, Tatiana Pina, Francisco Ferragut and Alberto Urbaneja (2009)
Comparative life-history traits of three phytoseiid mites associated with Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) colonies in clementine orchards in eastern Spain: implications for biological control
Experimental and Applied Acarology 47 (2), 121-132
Abstract: The management of Tetranychus urticae, a key pest of clementine trees, is mainly based on the use of acaricides. However, more environmentally safe measures, such as biological control, are being encouraged. Life-history traits of the three most abundant phytoseiid mites associated with T. urticae on this crop (Euseius stipulatus, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus) were studied. The experiments were performed under laboratory conditions (25°C, 80 ± 5% RH and 16:8 h (L:D)) on clementine leaves and T. urticae as prey. Euseius stipulatus could not complete its life cycle, whereas P. persimilis and N. californicus completed it satisfactorily. The estimated intrinsic rate of increase (r _m) was significantly higher for P. persimilis (0.344 day⁻¹) than for N. californicus (0.244 day⁻¹) and both were higher than the r _m value of T. urticae on clementine leaves. Implications of these results for the biological control of T. urticae in this crop are discussed.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Tatiana Pina, Alberto Urbaneja, Francisco Ferragut

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae		Spain (continental)
Phytoseiulus persimilis (predator)	Tetranychus urticae		Spain (continental)
Neoseiulus californicus (predator)	Tetranychus urticae		Spain (continental)
Euseius stipulatus (predator)	Tetranychus urticae		Spain (continental)