Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society (1995) 68, 425-436
Gary L. Dick and Lawrent L. Buschman (1995)
Seasonal occurrence of a fungal pathogen, Neozygites adjarica (Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae), infecting Banks grass mites, Oligonychus pratensis, and twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), in field corn
Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 68 (4), 425-436
Abstract: The seasonal occurrence of epizootics caused by the fungus Neozygites adjarica (Tsintsadze and Vartapetov) were studied in populations of Banks grass mites, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), and twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on field corn, Zea mays L. The first evidence of fungal infection was 5 August, but the major epizootics occurred 14 August to 8 September. The fungal epizootics followed periods of 8-10 h per day of ambient relative humidity above 80%. N. adjarica epizootics occurred in the four test fields, but it was not clear whether or not the epizootic was the major agent of spider mite mortality. Predatory arthropods, miticide applications and corn maturity also appeared to be important spider mite, mortality factors. N. adjarica epizootics were erratic and occurred too late in the season to prevent spider mite damage in corn. Awareness of conditions likely to foster fungal epizootics in spider mites will help us understand spider mite population dynamics.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Lawrent L. Buschman
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
population dynamics/ epidemiology
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
population dynamics/epizootiology
