Pest Management Science (2019) 75, 979-985

Miriam Kungu, Emilie Deletre, Sevgan Subramanian, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Linus Gitonga, Zipporah Osiemo Lagat and Thibaud Martin (2019)
A new mite IPM strategy: predator avoidance behaviour resulting from the synergetic effects of predator release and acaricide-treated nets
Pest Management Science 75 (4), 979-985
Abstract:
Background
Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae spider mites are known major pests of Solanaceae. Smallholders in Africa rely heavily on pesticide treatments. However, farmers claim that pesticides are generally ineffective despite high-frequency sprays. New management solutions are thus urgently needed. This study assessed the efficacy of using acaricide-treated nets combined with predatory mite release for controlling spider mites.
Results
The results showed the acaricide-treated net alone was more effective at reducing numbers of T. urticae than T. evansi. We observed the opposite for release of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes. This difference could be explained by the specific dispersion strategies of the two spider mite pests; T. evansi is gregarious, whereas T. urticae dispersed rapidly. Joint application of both techniques resulted in a synergetic effect that reduced T. evansi and T. urticae spider mite numbers close to zero. The synergetic effect could be explained by predator avoidance behaviour of the prey spider mites, resulting in higher prey trapping and killing rates on acaricide-treated nets, while P. longipes fed on spider mite eggs.
Conclusion
These techniques are profitable for smallholders as they are not expensive and avoid residues on the crop.
(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): Emilie Deletre, Sevgan Subramanian, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Thibaud Martin

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae		Kenya
	Tetranychus evansi		Kenya
Phytoseiulus longipes (predator)	Tetranychus urticae		Kenya
Phytoseiulus longipes (predator)	Tetranychus evansi		Kenya