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Beretta GM, Deere JA, Messelink GJ, Muñoz-Cárdenas K, Janssen A. Review: predatory soil mites as biocontrol agents of above- and below-ground plant pests. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 87:143-162. [PMID: 35939243 PMCID: PMC9424159 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00723-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biological pest control is becoming increasingly important for sustainable agriculture. Although many species of natural enemies are already being used commercially, efficient biological control of various pests is still lacking, and there is a need for more biocontrol agents. In this review, we focus on predatory soil mites, their role as natural enemies, and their biocontrol potential, mainly in vegetable and ornamental crops, with an emphasis on greenhouse systems. These predators are still underrepresented in biological control, but have several advantages compared to predators living on above-ground plant parts. For example, predatory soil mites are often easy and affordable to mass rear, as most of them are generalist predators, which also means that they may be used against various pests and can survive periods of pest scarcity by feeding on alternative prey or food. Many of them can also endure unfavourable conditions, making it easier for them to establish in various crops. Based on the current literature, we show that they have potential to control a variety of pests, both in greenhouses and in the field. However, more research is needed to fully understand and appreciate their potential as biocontrol agents. We review and discuss several methods to increase their efficiency, such as supplying them with alternative food and changing soil/litter structure to enable persistence of their populations. We conclude that predatory soil mites deserve more attention in future studies to increase their application in agricultural crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuditta M Beretta
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jacques A Deere
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerben J Messelink
- Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture, Wageningen University and Research, Bleiswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Karen Muñoz-Cárdenas
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Janssen
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil.
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Malagnini V, Pozzebon A, Facchin P, Paganelli A, Duso C. Airborne pollen can affect the abundance of predatory mites in vineyards: implications for conservation biological control strategies. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:1963-1975. [PMID: 35088932 PMCID: PMC9305490 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of pollen as alternative food for generalist phytoseiid mites occurring in vineyards has been investigated in northeastern Italy. We compared pollen and phytoseiid abundance in four vineyards and in plots located at different distance from flowering hop plants. Pollen (Carpinus betulus and Typha spp.) was sprayed onto the foliage to evaluate the potential impact of this food source on predatory mite abundance. Finally, grass management was investigated to analyze the effect of a reduced mowing frequency on predatory mite population densities. RESULTS Arboreal pollen was found mostly during the spring and the grapevine blossoming period. Nonarboreal pollen dominated throughout the growing seasons. In vineyards, the abundance of Amblyseius andersoni, Kampimodromus aberrans, Phytoseius finitimus, Typhlodromus pyri eggs and motile forms increased after a phase of large pollen availability. Hop pollen promoted K. aberrans population increases in vineyards. Pollen applications increased predatory mite egg and motile form densities and similar effects were obtained by reducing mowing frequency in vineyards. CONCLUSION Pollen availability positively affects the biology of four phytoseiid species, promoting stable predatory mite populations in vineyards. However, natural pollen availability and predatory mite abundance often decrease in summer, and pollen supply can mitigate this trend. A higher pollen availability could be guaranteed by inserting hedges comprising species having scalar bloom, reducing mowing of inter-row groundcover and spraying pollen. The presence of flowering plants surrounding vineyards and in their inter-rows should be considered as a relevant factor to enhance the success of biocontrol tactics against phytophagous mites in viticulture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Malagnini
- Center for Technology TransferEdmund Mach FoundationSan Michele all’ Adige (Trento)Italy
| | - Alberto Pozzebon
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and EnvironmentUniversity of PadovaLegnaroItaly
| | - Paolo Facchin
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and EnvironmentUniversity of PadovaLegnaroItaly
| | | | - Carlo Duso
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and EnvironmentUniversity of PadovaLegnaroItaly
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Farfan MA, Coffey J, Schmidt-Jeffris RA. Evaluation of Tarsonemus bilobatus and Podosphaera xanthii as suitable resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus in cucurbit systems in the Southeast USA. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 85:31-40. [PMID: 34580809 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00658-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tritrophic relationships involving tarsonemids and predatory phytoseiids are common in a variety of agroecosystems, but due to the wide range of diets in both families, it is necessary to understand what food resources they are consuming to determine potential impact on crops. We investigated a frequent association of cucurbit powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii), Tarsonemus bilobatus, and Proprioseiopsis mexicanus in watermelon and pumpkin fields to determine whether P. mexicanus is consuming either or both of the other organisms. We also examined developmental and reproductive capability of P. mexicanus on these diets. If P. mexicanus is an effective predator of T. bilobatus, it may also be useful in controlling pest tarsonemids, such as broad mites. Proprioseiopsis mexicanus either starved or escaped from arenas rather than consume P. xanthii. When consuming T. bilobatus, P. mexicanus females developed from larva to adult in ca. 3 days. On this diet, the preoviposition period was ca. 2 days and P. mexicanus laid 1.7 eggs/day. These results are comparable to some of the higher-quality non-prey resources investigated in the literature. Starved female P. mexicanus consumed 6.5 T. bilobatus of mixed stages in 1 h. This study provides support for further research into the importance of non-pest tarsonemids as a resource to maintain the presence of generalist predatory mites as an early-intervention natural enemy. Further work should examine the efficacy of P. mexicanus as a natural enemy of economically important pest tarsonemids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica A Farfan
- School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
- Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA.
| | - John Coffey
- Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA
- USDA-ARS U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA
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Tsuchida Y, Masui S. Biological control of the Japanese pear rust mite, Eriophyes chibaensis (Acari: Eriophyidae) and the Kanzawa spider mite, Tetranychus kanzawai (Acari: Tetranychidae) with Euseius sojaensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 84:673-686. [PMID: 34273013 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00644-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Euseius sojaensis (Ehara) is an effective indigenous natural enemy of some eriophyid mites and spider mites in Japan. However, pesticides that are toxic to it are frequently applied in commercial Japanese pear orchards until early summer, when the predator densities are at their peak. Here, we examined the suppressive effect of inoculative release of E. sojaensis on Eriophyes chibaensis Kadono and Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida under conservation control using selective pesticides from late April to late June. The densities of E. sojaensis peaked in early June. In E. sojaensis-release plots, phytoseiid populations were larger, E. chibaensis and T. kanzawai populations were smaller, and rates of leaf mosaic and russeting caused by E. chibaensis were significantly lower than in control plots. These results suggest that E. sojaensis can control E. chibaensis and T. kanzawai populations simultaneously. As it may be difficult to suppress E. chibaensis densities below the control threshold of 50 mites per leaf only by conservation using selective pesticides, enhancement and augmentation of E. sojaensis for sustainable control of mites should be considered as an option in commercial Japanese pear orchards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Tsuchida
- Fruit Tree Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, 424-0101, Japan.
| | - Shinichi Masui
- Fruit Tree Research Center, Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, 424-0101, Japan
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Farfan MA, Coffey J, Schmidt-Jeffris RA. Suitability of food resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus, a potentially important natural enemy in eastern USA agroecosystems. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 84:121-134. [PMID: 33900506 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00622-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The phytoseiid Proprioseiopsis mexicanus has been collected from a wide range of plants in the western hemisphere, including many cucurbit agroecosystems in South Carolina, USA. Our aim was to characterize the lifestyle of P. mexicanus and its potential as a natural enemy of Tetranychus urticae, a common pest in cucurbits. We determined developmental time, pre-oviposition time, and fecundity of females on pollen-only diets from a commercial Typha spp. supplement source, Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Delosperma cooperi, Trifolium incarnatum, and on T. urticae and a combination of T. urticae and Typha spp. pollen. Female development time differed based on diet-development was fastest on C. lanatus and D. cooperi diets (ca. 3 days) and slowest on Typha pollen diet (ca. 5 days). Pre-oviposition time was shorter for females fed C. lanatus and T. incarnatum (1.6 days) and longest when fed Typha pollen (3.1 days). Citrullus lanatus, T. incarnatum, and D. cooperi pollen diets resulted in more eggs/day compared to other diets. Cucurbita moschata pollen resulted in the lowest oviposition rate (0.69 eggs/day). Because these pollens varied in size, we examined pollen size as a factor in developmental and reproductive success. With the exception of Typha pollen, small-pollen diets (C. lanatus, D. cooperi, and T. incarnatum) resulted in faster development, shorter pre-oviposition time, and higher fecundity than large-pollen diets (Cucurbita spp.). We concluded that P. mexicanus is a generalist predator that may require pollen for survival and reproduction, but alone this species may not be an effective predator of T. urticae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica A Farfan
- Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA.
- School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - John Coffey
- Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA
- USDA-ARS U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC, 29414, USA
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Vacacela Ajila HE, Colares F, Lemos F, Marques PH, Franklin EC, Santos do Vale W, Oliveira EE, Venzon M, Pallini A. Supplementary food for Neoseiulus californicus boosts biological control of Tetranychus urticae on strawberry. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:1986-1992. [PMID: 30610750 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A wide range of supplementary food resources can be offered to generalist predatory mites to improve their survival and reproduction and enhance their persistence in the environment. We investigated the relative suitability of different pollen types for the survival and reproduction of Neoseiulus californicus and its life history on a mixed diet of pollen and prey. We also evaluated the population dynamics of Tetranychus urticae in the presence of N. californicus with or without pollen, and in comparison to Phytoseiulus macropilis. RESULTS Survival and reproduction of N. californicus adults were satisfactory on exclusive diets of T. urticae, cattail pollen, palm pollen and bee pollen. However, mites did not reproduce when fed only pollen during both immature and adult stages. Both predatory mites successfully controlled T. urticae. Although the specialist P. macropilis was more efficient in suppressing the pest population in the short term, it abandoned plants at low prey densities, whereas N. californicus performed better and persisted longer under prey scarcity. CONCLUSION N. californicus is an efficient biological control agent of T. urticae and the provision of supplementary food could retain them in the crop prior to the arrival of the pest or in periods of prey scarcity. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry E Vacacela Ajila
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Felipe Colares
- Econtrole Research & Consulting Ltda., Technological Center of Regional Development of Viçosa (CenTev), Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Felipe Lemos
- Econtrole Research & Consulting Ltda., Technological Center of Regional Development of Viçosa (CenTev), Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
- Latin American Institute of Life and Nature Sciences (ILACVN), Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA), Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
| | - Pedro H Marques
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Eliza C Franklin
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Willian Santos do Vale
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Eugênio E Oliveira
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Madelaine Venzon
- Agriculture and Livestock Research Enterprise of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Angelo Pallini
- Department of Entomology, Section Acarology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
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He X, Sigsgaard L. A Floral Diet Increases the Longevity of the Coccinellid Adalia bipunctata but Does Not Allow Molting or Reproduction. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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