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30 June 2020 Prey stage preference and functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to eggs of Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)
Rosenya Michely Cintra Filgueiras, Jairo De Almeida Mendes, Francisco Wesller Batista Da Silva, Eduardo Pereira De Sousa Neto, José Wagner Da Silva Melo
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Abstract

Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) is a polyphagous pest widely dispersed worldwide and a particular threat to crops from the Arecaceae family. Control measures are still being evaluated in recently invaded countries. A possible control strategy for this pest is the use of predatory mites. A recent study has suggested Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) as a potential biological control agent of R. indica. In the present study we determined the prey stage preference of N. barkeri when offered different stages of R. indica besides its functional response and numerical over its prey stage preferred. The predatory mite N. barkeri showed a marked preference for eggs over other stages of the prey. The regression analysis indicated that the predatory mite N. barkeri exhibited a Type II functional response. The prey density needed to start the oviposition was 10 R. indica eggs. The number of eggs laid by N. barkeri females increased with an increase in the prey density and tended to stabilize when prey availability was greater than 80 R. indica eggs, with average oviposition of 2 eggs/female. Our study suggests that N. barkeri shows potential to reduce populations of R. indica, especially at low prey densities. However, further studies are needed to investigate whether R. indica supports the development of immature stages of N. barkeri.

© Systematic & Applied Acarology Society
Rosenya Michely Cintra Filgueiras, Jairo De Almeida Mendes, Francisco Wesller Batista Da Silva, Eduardo Pereira De Sousa Neto, and José Wagner Da Silva Melo "Prey stage preference and functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to eggs of Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)," Systematic and Applied Acarology 25(6), 1147-1157, (30 June 2020). https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.25.6.16
Received: 2 February 2020; Accepted: 25 April 2020; Published: 30 June 2020
KEYWORDS
biological control
invasive pest
mites
predatory mite
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