Mites of the genus Typhlodromus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Southern France: combined morphological and molecular approaches for species identification.

Mites of the family Phytoseiidae are important predators for biological control applications. They occur naturally in ecosystems but their overall distribution is not completely known. This study presents results of surveys carried out in the south of France.

Performance of Metarhizium anisopliae-treated foam in combination with Phytoseiulus longipes Evans against Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Background: Tetranychus evansi (Te) is an exotic pest of solanaceous crops in Africa. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes (Pl) and the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma) are potential biocontrol agents of Te. The present study investigated the efficacy of fungus-treated foam placed above or below the third Te-infested tomato leaf.

Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of Morocco: new records, descriptions of five new species, re-descriptions of two species, and key for identification.

The family Phytoseiidae includes more than 2,300 species distributed all over the world. However despite the huge numbers of faunistic surveys carried out for more than 60 years, the fauna of some countries and particular ecosystems remain little explored. This paper reports results of surveys carried out in various regions of Morocco (from Sahara to Atlantic and Mediteranean coasts) in 2002 and 2003.

Repellency of Plant Extracts against the Legume Flower Thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom is an important pest of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) in Africa. To propose an alternative to chemical control, the repellency of 24 plant extracts was evaluated against adult female thrips of M.

Dispersal behavior of Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae on tomato at several spatial scales and densities: implications for integrated pest management.

Studying distribution is necessary to understand and manage the dynamics of species with spatially structured populations. Here we studied the distribution in Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae, two mite pests of tomato, in the scope of evaluating factors that can influence the effectiveness of Integrated Pest Management strategies.

Is Neoseiulus wearnei the Neoseiulus californicus of Australia?

Species of the family Phytoseiidae are known as predatory mites, some of them being used in crops to control mite pests, all around the world. Neoseiulus (=Cydnodromus) californicus is among the most commonly used Phytoseiidae species in biological control programs, especially in vineyards, orchards and vegetable fields. This species is distributed world-wide but has never been reported from Australia.

Phytoseiidae in European grape (Vitis vinifera L.): bio-ecological aspects and keys to species (Acari: Mesostigmata).

The family Phytoseiidae includes many species of predators involved in the control of mite pests of crops all over the world. In European vineyards, these natural enemies play a key role in plant protection as their presence usually makes the use of acaricides unnecessary. Each species has its specific biological features.

Comparative demography of the spider mite, Oligonychus afrasiaticus, on four date palm varieties in southwestern Tunisia.

The date palm mite, Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a serious pest of palm date fruits. Life cycle, fecundity, and longevity of this mite were studied on fruits of four date palms, Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecales: Arecaceae)(varieties: Deglet Noor, Alig, Kentichi, and Besser), under laboratory conditions at 27 = 1 °C, 60 ± 10% RH.

Agroforestry management and phytoseiid communities in vineyards in the South of France.

This study deals with the long-term effect of agroforestry management (trees within vine crops) on communities of phytoseiid mites. Several plots were considered: vineyards co-planted with Sorbus domestica or Pinus pinea, monocultures of vines and monocultures of S. domestica or P.

Influence of ground cover management on diversity and density of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Guadeloupean citrus orchards.

The abundance and diversity of phytoseiid mites in the vegetal ground cover of a citrus orchard were surveyed by monthly samplings from October 2008 to July 2009. Six different vegetal cover management methods were studied: herbicide application without mowing (Gly), mowing without herbicide application (PV), mowing with herbicide application (AV), late mowing without herbicide application (LMV), cover crop (Neonotonia wightii, Fabaceae) without herbicide application (PNeo) and cover crop with herbicide application (ANeo). Eleven species were present in the ground cover, with Phytoseius rex and Proprioseiopsis mexicanus as major species.

Morphological and molecular diagnostics of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Phytoseiulus macropilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

This study focuses on the diagnostics of two natural enemy species, belonging to the genus Phytoseiulus in the family Phytoseiidae (sub-family Amblyseiinae): P. macropilis and P. persimilis.

Suitability of two laboratory testing methods to evaluate the side effects of pesticides on Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Background: Laboratory results of the French ANPP/CEB guideline No. 167 and IOBC/WPRS Ring Testing Group methods for testing the side effects of pesticides on the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten were compared with respect to their suitability to evaluate the toxicity of three pesticides.

Results: Results obtained with the ANPP/CEB guideline allow the demonstration of significant differences between two slightly toxic products, a dichlofluanid 500 g kg(-1) kWP (Euparen) 50WP) and a quinoxyfen 250 g L(-1) SCC (Legend), and a highly toxic cymoxanil 60/mancozeb 200/folpet 275 g kg(-1) WP [Remiltine F Pepite) (RFP)], on the basis of bioassays conducted in the laboratory.

Factors affecting abundance and diversity of phytoseiid mite communities in two arboreta in the South of France.

Phytoseiid mite densities and diversity were surveyed on 16 plant species in two arboreta in the South of France. Samplings in these two arboreta were carried out on 5 trees of the same plant species twice a month during 4 months. Within the same arbouretum, densities were not significantly different within the same plant between the 5 replicated realised.

The diversity of phytoseiid mite communities in the Maghreb comparisons with the fauna of one of the Canary Islands.

Phytoseiid mite diversity was surveyed on wild and cultivated plants in Morocco and Tunisia from 1994 to 2003. Results were associated with those obtained in previous surveys conducted by other authors in Algeria and in one of the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria). They showed, 21 species are known from Tunisia (1 was known before), 53 from Algeria, 41 from Morocco (15 were known before) and 23 from the Canary Island.

Search for effective natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) in northwest Argentina.

The mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Tetranychidae) probably originated in South America. Because of its importance as a tomato pest in Africa, an extensive project has been conducted to detect potentially effective natural enemies in South America for the classical biological control of the pest in Africa. A search for the natural enemies of T.

Assessment of pesticide susceptibility for Typhlodromus exhilaratus and Typhlodromus phialatus strains (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from vineyards in the south of France.

Two species of Phytoseiidae predominated in and around vineyards in an experimental site in the south of France: Typhlodromus exhilaratus is the dominant species on grapes, whereas T. phialatus occurs in the uncultivated areas surrounding these crops. To help understand their distribution, this study aims to determine their susceptibility to a fungicide (dimethomorph + mancozeb) and an insecticide (chlorpyriphos-ethyl), which have been widely used at the experimental site for at least four years.

Life tables of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes feeding on Tetranychus evansi at four temperatures (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae).

The tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi, is reported as a severe pest of tomato and other solanaceous crops from Africa, from Atlantic and Mediterranean Islands, and more recently from the south of Europe (Portugal, Spain and France). A population of the predaceous mite Phytoseiulus longipes has been recently found in Brazil in association with T. evansi.

Effects of agroforestry on phytoseiid mite communities (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in vineyards in the South of France.

The abundance and diversity of phytoseiid mites were surveyed from April to September 2003 to 2005 in vineyards (Grenache and Syrah cultivars) co-planted with rows of Sorbus domestica or Pinus pinea and in monoculture plots of grapes in the South of France. Densities of phytoseiid mites were different on the two tree species, with P. pinea a more suitable host than S.

Search for effective natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi in south and southeast Brazil.

Tetranychus evansi Baker & 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.

Cannibalism and intraguild predation in Typhlodromus exhilaratus and T. phialatus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) under laboratory conditions.

Two species of Phytoseiidae are found in the same agroecosystem: Typhlodromus exhilaratus prevails in vine plots, while T. phialatus prevails in uncultivated surrounding areas. The objective of the present paper was to investigate whether the poor settlement of T.

Immigration of phytoseiid mites from surrounding uncultivated areas into a newly planted vineyard.

This study reports (1) a faunistic survey of phytoseiid mites observed inside a vine plot and in neighbouring vegetation (other vine plots and uncultivated areas) and (2) dispersal of phytoseiid mites into the plot studied. These data aim to raise some hypotheses concerning natural colonisation of a vineyard by predatory mites. The study was carried out over 3 years (1999, 2000 and 2001) in an experimental plot planted with two cultivars (Grenache and Syrah) and with Sorbus domestica in a framework of agroforestry investigations.

A genetic analysis of mancozeb resistance in Typhlodromus pyri (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

A field population of Typhlodromus pyri (Acari: Phytoseiidae) tolerant to mancozeb was selected in the laboratory. After 10 mancozeb selections the LC50 value for mancozeb was 73 times higher in the selected-10 strain compared to the standard susceptible strain. A genetic analysis using reciprocal crosses and backcrosses of female F1 progeny found no maternal effect.

Cannibalism and interspecific predation in a phytoseiid predator guild from cassava fields in Africa: evidence from the laboratory.

Interspecific predation and cannibalism are common types of interaction in phytoseiid predator guilds, but the extent and nature of these interactions have not been determined yet in phytoseiid guilds composed of African native and neotropical exotic phytoseiid predators found in cassava habitat in southern Africa. We determined in laboratory experiments the level of cannibalism and interspecific predation among the three phytoseiid mite species Euseius fustis, Iphiseius degenerans, and Typhlodromalus aripo in the absence of food and in the presence of limited or abundant quantities of two food types--Mononychellus tanajoa and maize pollen--commonly found on cassava in Africa. When confined without food, only two T.

Side effects of mancozeb on Typhlodromus pyri (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in vineyards: results of multi-year field trials and a laboratory study.

The side effects of mancozeb on the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri were studied in 4-year field trials on grapevine and in the laboratory. In the field, the effect of mancozeb varied according to previous mancozeb use. In vineyards where mancozeb had commonly been used over years, this fungicide is generally slightly toxic, in some cases moderately toxic and rarely toxic.

Variations in acaricidal effect of wettable sulfur on Tetranychus urticae (Acari:Tetranychidae): effect of temperature, humidity and life stage.

Under laboratory conditions, the acaricidal effect of wettable sulfur is influenced by climatic conditions and the stage of development of Tetranychus urticae. Its ovicidal effect results from the combined action of temperature and relative humidity (RH). Wettable sulfur becomes effective at 27.