Starvation tolerance and effects on fitness of predatory mite Amblyseius orientalis.

Amblyseius orientalis Ehara (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) has garnered significant attention as an effective predatory mite for controlling spider mites in fruit production in China. However, despite its considerable potential for pest management, A. orientalis may face food shortages during transportation and field application.

Ecological risks of a biopesticide from marine-derived amino-oligosaccharides in agriculture: Food chain effects on non-target organisms Frankliniella occidentalis and its natural predator Neoseiulus barkeri.

A biopesticide from marine-derived amino-oligosaccharides (AO) are extensively utilized in China, yet there is a lack of scientific literature on their potential ecological risks when transmitted through the food chain to Neoseiulus barkeri, a natural predator of Frankliniella occidentalis. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the food chain effects of AO on both F. occidentalis and N.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot.

As a globally recognized predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot is known for its highly effective control of pest mites. Also, as a model species in Phytoseiidae, P. persimilis possesses unique biological characteristics, such as the first offspring developing into a male with a strict sex sequence.

Dissemination patterns and functional role of a symbiotic bacteria Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in Phytoseiulus persimilis.

Symbiotic bacteria play a crucial role in various facets of host biology and physiology. The development and utilization of symbiotic bacteria in insects show promising potential for enhancing their reproduction, temperature tolerance, resistances to pathogens and insecticides. However, limited research has been conducted on symbiotic bacteria in predatory mites.

Amblyseius orientalis shows high consumption and reproduction on Polyphagotarsonemus latus in China.

The broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is a cosmopolitan pest that infests many greenhouse crops. Biological control is an important way to control P. latus, with predatory mites being the most widely used natural enemies of this pest.

Both host and diet shape bacterial communities of predatory mites.

Microbial communities, derived from food, ambient, and inner, can affect host ecological adaption and evolution. Comparing with most phytophagous arthropods, predators may have more opportunities to develop specific microbiota depending on the level of prey specialization. To explore how diet sources affect host microbial communities and vary across predator species, we considered 3 types of predators from Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata): polyphagous (Amblyseius orientalis Ehara, Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henrio), oligophagous (Neoseiulus californicus McGregor), and monophagous (Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot) predatory mites.

Predatory mite Amblyseius orientalis prefers egg stage and low density of Carpoglyphus lactis prey.

Amblyseius orientalis (Ehara) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective predatory mite for spider mite control on fruit trees in China. In recent decades, it has been produced massively at a commercial natural enemy producer, feeding on the storage mite Carpoglyphus lactis (L.).

Expression and functional analysis of transformer-2 in Phytoseiulus persimilis and other genes potentially participating in reproductive regulation.

Transformer-2 (tra-2) is an important sex-determining gene in insects. It also plays a role in the reproduction of phytoseiid mites. We performed bioinformatic analyses for the tra-2 ortholog in Phytoseiulus persimilis (termed Pptra-2), measured its expression at different stages and quantitatively identified its function in reproduction.

Expression and functional analysis of Niemann-Pick C2 gene in Phytoseiulus persimilis.

As a new protein class of semiochemical binding and transporting, Niemann-Pick proteins type C2 (NPC2) in arthropods have received more attentions in recent decade. However, the gene function has not been studied in phytoseiid mites with biocontrol potential. In the current study, we cloned a NPC2 gene PpNPC2a from the transcriptome of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot.

Star Polycation Mediated dsRNA Improves the Efficiency of RNA Interference in .

RNA interference (RNAi) is one of the most widely used techniques to study gene functions. There is still a lack of RNAi techniques that can be applied in Phytoseiidae conveniently and efficiently. Star Polycation is a new nanomaterial commonly used as a carrier of dsRNA in RNAi.

Detection, Detrimental Effects, and Transmission Pathways of the Pathogenic Bacterium Acaricomes phytoseiuli in Commercial Predatory Mites.

Arthropod pathogens and other microorganisms have been documented from mass production systems aimed at producing natural enemies for pest control. If losses due to pathogens are encountered in such systems, they could lead to uneconomical production of natural enemies and/or a loss of predator quality for effective field control of target pests. Here, we identify and describe the laboratory transmission of a bacterial pathogen, Acaricomes phytoseiuli, in a Chinese strain of the local predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus following contact with Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite imported for the control of small sap-sucking pests in greenhouses.

Impact of starvation on paternal reproductive investment in Neoseiulus californicus.

Neoseiulus californicus is an important biological control agent of small arthropod pests, widely used in preventive releases at low prey densities. Therefore, it is important to study reproductive investment of this species, both females and males, under environmental pressure of limited prey availability. Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate N.

Molecular characterization, expression, and function of Vitellogenin genes in Phytoseiulus persimilis.

Vitellogenin (Vg) is an important factor that impacts oocyte maturation, egg formation and embryonic development in Arthropoda. Two orthologs of Vg gene were obtained from the genome of Phytoseiulus persimilis and termed as PpVg1 and PpVg2. Both orthologs belong to the large lipid transfer protein superfamily.

Combining predatory mites and film mulching to control Bradysia cellarum (Diptera: Sciaridae) on Chinese chives, Allium tuberosum.

The subterranean insect Bradysia cellarum Frey (Diptera: Sciaridae) is a notorious and major pest of Chinese chives, Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengle (Amaryllidaceae) in China. Current chemical control of B. cellarum results in low insecticide efficacy, high cost and pesticide resistance, therefore there is an urgent need for sustainable management.

Massive gene rearrangement in mitogenomes of phytoseiid mites.

Mitochondrial (mt) gene sequences have been widely used to infer phylogeny in animals. The relative order of mt genes in the mitogenome can also be a useful marker for evolution, but the propensity of mt gene rearrangements vary tremendously among taxa. Ticks and mites in Acari exemplify this trend as some families retain the ancestral arthropod gene order, while others show highly divergent gene orders.

RNAi mediated knockdown of RpL11, RpS2, and tra-2 led to reduced reproduction of Phytoseiulus persimilis.

Phytoseiulus persimilis is one of the most important biological control agents of spider mites. Multiple studies have been conducted on factors affecting its reproduction, but limited research on related molecular mechanisms has been carried out. In this study, RNA interference of three genes, ribosomal protein L11 (RpL11), ribosomal protein S2 (RpS2), and transformer-2 (tra-2), to newly emerged females were performed through oral delivery of double-stranded RNA, and knockdown of target genes was verified using qRT-PCR analysis.

Spermatophore producing process and sperm transfer in Phytoseiulus persimilis.

In phytoseiid mites, the spermatophore is an intermediate, isolated structure where sperms are stored during mating. In the present study, the producing process of Phytoseiulus persimilis spermatophore is described in details. Its shape, and the number and shape of sperms inside, are also analyzed, each as affected by coupling time.

Effects of Beauveria bassiana on predation and behavior of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis.

Determination of intraguild interactions between entomopathogens and predators is important when attempting to use a combination of these two natural enemy groups for biological control of their shared arthropod pest species. This study assessed the effects of Beauveria bassiana on the predation and associated behavior of the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis, against Tetranychus urticae. The functional response tests showed that P.

Highly virulent Beauveria bassiana strains against the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, show no pathogenicity against five phytoseiid mite species.

Entomopathogenic fungi and predatory mites can independently contribute to suppressing the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. It is important to assess the risk of possible fungal infections in predators when a combination of them are being considered as a tandem control strategy for suppressing T. urticae.

Insight into the feeding behavior of predatory mites on Beauveria bassiana, an arthropod pathogen.

Interactions between fungal entomopathogens and pest predators are particularly relevant in control of agricultural insect pests. In a laboratory study, we confirmed that the predatory mite, Neoseiulus barkeri, exhibited feeding behavior on the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana conidia through DNA extracts. Using transmission electron microscopy, we determined that the majority of conidia found in the mite gut tended to dissolve within 24 h post ingestion, suggesting that the conidia had probably lost their viability.

Intraguild predation between Amblyseius swirskii and two native Chinese predatory mite species and their development on intraguild prey.

Amblyseius swirskii, native to the east and southeast Mediterranean region, is a successful biological control agent of whiteflies. In this study, we investigated intraguild predations (IGP) between each stage of A. swirskii and each stage of two Phytoseiid species that occur in China, Amblyseius orientalis and Neoseiulus californicus.

Prey Preference and Life Table of Amblyseius orientalis on Bemisia tabaci and Tetranychus cinnabarinus.

Amblyseius orientalis (Ehara) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a native predatory mite species in China. It used to be considered as a specialist predator of spider mites. However, recent studies show it also preys on other small arthropod pests, such as Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).

Feeding on Beauveria bassiana-treated Frankliniella occidentalis causes negative effects on the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri.

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri are both potential biocontrol agents for their shared host/prey Frankliniella occidentalis. The combination of the two agents may enhance biological control of F. occidentalis if the fungus does not negatively affect N.

An entomopathogenic strain of Beauveria bassiana against Frankliniella occidentalis with no detrimental effect on the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri: evidence from laboratory bioassay and scanning electron microscopic observation.

Among 28 isolates of Beauveria bassiana tested for virulence against F. occidentalis in laboratory bioassays, we found strain SZ-26 as the most potent, causing 96% mortality in adults at 1×10(7) mL(-1)conidia after 4 days. The effect of the strain SZ-26 on survival, longevity and fecundity of the predatory mite Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) barkeri Hughes were studied under laboratory conditions.