HOST PREFERENCE OF THE PHYTOSSID MITE,EUSEIUS SCUTALIS(ATHIAS-HENRIOT)

ON SOME PESTS

El-Khouly, N. M.A. and A.A. Abd-Elgayed

Plant Prot. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Fayoum Univ.

Key Words:Euseius scutalis, Tetranychus urticae, Bemesia tabaci, Thrips tabaci, Aphis gossypii, Palm pollen, Host preference.

ABSTRACT:

The present study was carried out in plant protection department laboratory, Fac. of Agric., Fayoum Univ. during 2018, and conducted under the optimum conditions of 27±1°C and 70±5% R.H. The predaceous mite, Euseius scutalisAthias-Henriot (Acari:Phytoseiidae) was reared on nymphs of Bemesia tabaci Genn, Tetranychus urticae Koch, Thrips tabaci Lind, Aphis gossypii Glover. and Palm pollen. The phytosiid mite preferred nymphs of T. urticae then B. tabaci and T. tabaci, while the nymphs of A. gossypii and palm pollen appeared as unsuitable hosts.

INTRODUCTION

Mites of Family Phtoseiidae are mostly present on plant surface and are predators of phytophagous mites and other small insect pests of various agricultural crops worldwide (Al-Shammery 2010; Demite, et al., 2014).

The predacious mite, Eusieus scutalis Athias-Henriot (Phytoseiidae: Acari) is a common predator in Egypt and in the world(Mahmoud, 1998; Rahil et al., 2004; Sayed et al., 2006; Mostafa, 2012 and Fouly et al., 2013).

Predacious mites are important natural enemies of several phytophagous mite pests, eggs and hatched immature stages of various insects (Homoptera, Thysanoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera) on various crops also have the ability to feed on other sources of food such as pollen grains, plant fluids, honeydew and artificial diets, .

Chemical pesticides caused several environmental problems, additional to their high expenses, e.g. appearance of pesticide resistant strains of pest and appeared more effective on the beneficial organisms. Many authors studied the effect of different pesticides on the phytosiid mite, E. scutalisand observed that the synthetic Pyrethroid, Organophosphates and Carbamates were more toxic to E. scutalis than to T. urticae(El-Banhawy & Reda, 1988; Abo-El-Ella, 1993; Marzouk, 1997; El-Saadany et al., 1999; Rahil et al., 2004; Ali & Laithy, 2005 and Sayedet al., 2006.).

The objective of this study improves our knowledge about host preferences of five different food types under laboratory conditions on biological aspects of mature and immature stages of the predaceous mite, E. scutalis. The nymphs of the tetranychid mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, cotton thrips, Thrips tabaci Lind, cotton whitefly, Bemesia tabaci Genn, cotton aphid, Aphis gossypiiGlove. and the palm pollen were used as prey.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To study the host preference of the phytosiid mite, E. scutalis on four nymphs of T.urticae, B. tabaci, T. tabaci and A. gossypii addition on palm pollen grains, (table, 1) the biological aspects were conducted under the suitable laboratory conditions of 27±1°C and 70%R.H. (El-Laithy and Fouly, 1992; Mahmoud, 1998; Rahil et al., 2004; Sayed et al., 2006; Al-Shammery, 2011 and Fouly et al., 2013) at plant protection department, Fac. of Agric., Fayoum Univ. The relative humidity was maintained by using saturated solution of Potassium hydroxide (Abdel Gayed, 2004).  The needed pest cultures were gained as follows:

Table (1): The hosts were used for rearing E. scutalis.

1-      Stock cultures of pests:

1.1  . Tetranychus urticae Koch.

A separate stock culture was prepared under laboratory condition. Infested leaves of castorbean,Ricinus communis L. were collected from Fayoum province(Al-Adawy, et al., 2001). The newly emerged adults were collected and introduced on sweet potato plants grown in plastic pots under wooden cages covered with muslin to avoid cross contamination. Immature individuals were used for preparing small cultures in Petri dishes provided with sweet potato leaves; its ridges dipped in thin layer of agar 0.6% to prevent escape the mites. All treatments were replicated ten times(Mahmoud, 1998; Rahil, et al., 2004and Sayed,et al., 2006).

1.2.            Bemisia tabaci Genn.

Rearing of B. tabaci was carried out by collecting the adults of flies from cucumber plants by sweeping net traps in paper bag and placed on another sweet potato plants in cages (40×60×50cm) to separate this pest from other pests(Abdel Gayed, 2004)

1.3.        

Thrips tabaciLindeman.

Nymphs of T. tabaci was collected from cotton seedling and transferred to the laboratory in paper bags, then placed on cotton seedling cultivated in the Lab. To avoid escape the thrips, the plants were placed in cages (40×70×50 cm³) and covered with muslin (Gawaaad,and Shazli, 1969).

1.4.            Aphis gossypii Glover.

The collection and rearing of A. gossypii were carried out as above mentioned in rearing of T. tabaci.

1.5.            Collection and preparation of Pollen:

 Pollen of date palm Pheonyx dactylefira L. was used. Flowers of the plants were collected where pollen was collected by using a manual shaker to release the pollen and left for three daysin sunlight. Pollen grains were kept in small glass vials in a refrigerator until use (AL-Shammery, 2010).

1. Rearing Eusieus scutalis (Athias-Henriot)

To arise stock culture of the predatory mite, E. scutalis, its nymphs and adults were collected from castor bean leaves growing in a private Farm at Fayoum, Egypt in 2018 and placed on sweet potato plants infested by T. urticae mite, these plants were placed in special cages covered with muslin to avoid escape the predaceous mites to another cages and contaminate the culture of pests (Mahmoud, 1998; Rahil et al., 2004; Sayed et al., 2006 and Momen & El-Sawi 2008).

1. Host preference experiments:

To study the host preference of E. scutalis, one couple of newly emerged adult collected from the stock culture, were confined in ten of discs were placed in Petri dishes provided with sweet potato leaves; its ridges dipped in thin layer of agar 0.6% to prevent escape the mites and this disc provided with 10 nymphs (of each host). This unit represented one replicate kept at the optimum condition, 27±1°C and 70±5%R.H. Ten replicates for each host were used and examined daily for renewing the host. (Sayed, et al., 2006).

Periods of ovipositions, male and female longevity were calculated, in addition, the number of deposited eggs/female, daily deposited eggs/ female and preying capacity were calculated. The duration of immature stages (larvae& nymphs), percentages of mortality, food consumption and sex ratio were determined per host. (Zanty, 1987 and Mahmoud, 1998)

1. Mixed food consumption:

Di, tri, tetra and penta combinations were used to calculate the mixed food consumption for adult of E. scutalis, 24 treatments were used as follows in Table 2:

Table (2): Mixed food consumption for rearing E. scutalis.

              Ten replicated were used /treatment, the experiment unit consists of Petri dish, (15cm diameter) provided with agar 0.6% in the bottom and leaf of sweet potato in the center their edges inserted in agar. The number of used preys was 10 individuals /prey, renews daily and counted until died of the predator (male and female).

1. Statistical analysis:

Means of data at all treatments were statistically compared at 5% probability level by L.S.D test according to the methods given by Senedecorand Cochran (1981).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

For adults, (table, 3and fig,1&2) the longest period of oviposition, female and male longevity (33.8, 38.9 and 14.22 days, respectively) associated with the highest fecundity (55.73eggs/female) and rate female/day of oviposition period (2.60 eggs) was recorded at feeding of nymphs of T. urticae. Such values were reduced insignificantly by using nymphs of B. tabaci (27.7, 28.6& 10.2 days, 42.17eggs/female and 2.31eggs/female/day) and nymphs of T. tabaci (30.22, 35.2& 12.12 days, 41.15eggs/female and 2.28eggs/female/day). While by feeding on nymphs of A. gossypii, these data decreased with high significantly to record (16.2, 19.22 &11.22 days, 23.40eggs/female and 1.26eggs/female/day). The palm pollen grains unsuitable host for rearing E. scutalis, at this conditions, the female lived for two weeks only and laid 12.2eggs during the oviposition period (9.2 days) These data agreement with Abdel Gayed, 2004, when reared this predator on nymphs of T. urticae and B. tabaci.

As seen from in table, (3) and fig,3 preying capacity per couple differed significantly at feeding E. scutalis on different hosts to record high consumption (180.66 individuals with T. urticae, and 172.22 individuals with T. tabaci). While the low consumption (67.22 individuals) was record at feeding on nymphs of cotton aphid, A.gossypii. The highest count of preyed nymphs of T. urticae by couple of the predaceous mite, E. scutalis, (188.2 individuals with a rate of 7.00 prey/day of adult longevity was recorded by Abdel Gayed(2004).

Table (3): Host preference of E. scutalis adults reared on different hosts under laboratory conditions

N.B.: ** Consumed prey / couple and data between parentheses represent daily consumption

The longest incubation period, 1.73days associated with the highest hatchability (93.30%) were recorded at feeding on nymphsT. urticae, decrease insignificantly to 1.39, 1.32, 1.32 and 1.29 days at feeding on A.gossypii, B tabaci, T. tabaci and palm pollen grains, respectively.The moderate durations of larvae, protonymph, deutonymph and total life span, 1.40, 1.80, 1.92 and 6.23 days, respectively, with the lowest percentages of mortalities, 7.11, 0.00, 2.10 and 15.22% were recorded at feeding on nymphs of T. urticae (table, 4& fig, 4).

Generally, by feeding on all hosts, females outnumber males (1.3:1, 2.1:1, 1.1:1 and 2.1:1), while at feeding on palm pollen grains, the sex ratio was 1:1.2. At all hosts the number of consumed preys and daily consumption increased gradually with the progressive stage and instars. The larvae lived for 1-3 days and consumed 3.22, 3.11, 2.16 and 3.20 nymphs, respectively at T. urticae, B. tabaci, A. gossypii and T. tabaci (table, 4).

Table (4): Host preference of E. scutalis immature stages reared on different hosts under laboratory conditions.

**Shows the total consumed prey / life (average of daily consumption)

Data in parentheses represent percentage of mortality

The above mentioned results agree withEl-Laithy & Fouly (1992) and Mahmoud (1998)studied the life cycle of E. scutalis at 26±1°C and 70±3% R.H. at feeding on T. urticae nymphs, the total life cycle was 5.6 days correlated with 1.87, 22.33 and 5.12 days for the periods of the preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition, respectively.

The factors affecting on mass rearing of the predaceous mite, E. secutalis and found that suitable temperature and relative humidity were 25±1°C and 73±5%R.H., respectively. The highest reproduction, fecundity and predation efficiency were recorded at feeding on T. urticae nymphs and eggs of B. tabaci. At the same conditions, the egg incubation period was 1.7days. Life cycle and adult longevity were 5.7&17.4 days for male and 6.95&30.4days for female. The respective total deposited eggs/female and rate of reproduction/day were 32.00eggs/female and 2.10eggs/female/day. On T. urticae nymphs, the immature stages of E. scutalis consumed 9.8prey, while the preying capacity for adult rate of consumption/day was 154.00 preys and 8.85 prey/ day. 

In this respect, similar values were obtained by Van Rijn and Tanigoshi (1999) who found that sex ratio was not affected by food source, where females proportion (%) ranged from 56 to 64%. Also, Fouly (1997) found that female progeny of Proprioseiopsisasetus presented only 52% in the first generation when fed on Eutetranychus orientalis.

On the other hand, comparing the present data with those obtained by AL-Shammery (2010), it is clear that feeding on immature stages of  T. urticae significantly prolonged the oviposition period (18.6 days) as compared with date palm pollen (12.42 days). While date palm pollen caused a higher egg production where each female laid an average of 42.62 eggs as compared with 30.66 eggs when the food was immature stages of the two-spotted spider mite.

Also, the previous results don't agree with the findings of Kasap and Lu 2004) who found a lower net reproductive rate (R₀) of E. scutalis fed Panonychus citri which averaged only 26.03. Also (R₀) averaged 26.73, 13.24 and 13.60 when the predatory mite E. scutalis fed on immature stages of the three tetranychid mites, T. urticae, Eutetranychus orientalis and Oligonichus afrasiaticus, respectively.

At the same trend, in Saudi Arabia, Al-Shammery (2011) reared E. scutalis on four kinds of pollen date palm, orange, castor bean & alfalfa) under laboratory conditions (26°C& 70%R.H.), she observed that the development period significantly affected by kind of pollen. Feeding on date palm pollen caused the highest rate of survival (94%), deposited eggs (42.62eggs)| and female longevity (12.42 days).

Fouly et al., (2013) reared E. scutalis on T. urticae, B. tabaci and date palm pollen in the laboratory conditions (26°C and 70%R.H.) life cycle averaged 5.20 and 6.19 days, 6.40 and 7.23 days, 7.80 and 7.85 days for male and female, when fed on palm pollen, immature stages of T. urticae and B. tabaci, respectively.

El-Halawany et al., (2017) recorded that the female longevity ranged between 16.70 and 28.2 day. Longest female longevity and highest fecundity was reared on T. urticae motile stages (49.3eggs/female). The highest consumption rate of adult female was 496.2 individuals when fed on Tegolophus quavae Boezek, while the lowest was 161.2 individuals on T. urticae motile stages.

Food consumption of E. scutalis adult (one male & one female) by using the combination in used of preys (T. urticae, B. tabaci, T. tabaci, A. gossypii and pollen) issummarized in table (5).

As far as the writer, no literatures were recorded in this trend. By using twenty four combination treatments, the highest consumed preys (241.04 prey/ couple) was recorded by feeding on all mixed preys, in this state, the predacious mite, E. scutalis fed on (190.28 T. urticae, 26.48 B. tabaci, 24.28 T. tabaci and pollen grains). As seen in table (5), the highest preying capacity were recorded at feeding on any mix T. urticae with other foods (B. tabaci, T. tabaci, A. gossypii and pollen), while the lowest consumption (38.24 individuals) was recorded at feeding on A. gossypii and pollen grains.

Table (5): Food consumption of E. scutalis adults reared on combination of differenthosts.

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التفضیل العوائلی للمفترس الاکاروسی Euseius scutalis

علی بعض الافات

نبیل محمد عبد السلام الخولی- عاطف أحمد عبد الجید

جامعة الفیوم- کلیة الزراعة- قسم وقایة النبات

اجریت هذه الدراسة بقسم وقایة النبات- کلیة الزراعة- جامعة الفیوم عام 2018 تحت الظروف المعملیة المثلی لتربیة هذا المفترس( 27ºم ورطوبة نسبیة 70%) وقد تمت تربیة هذا المفترس علی حوریات کلا من العنکبوت الاحمر والذبابة البیضاء وتربس القطن ومن القطن بالاضافة الی استخدام حبوب لقاح نخیل البلح. ومن هذه الدراسة وجد أن أفضل العوائل لتربیة هذا المفترس هی حوریات العنکبوت الاحمر یلیه الذباب الابیض یلیه تربس القطن بینما من القطن وحبوب اللقاح فکانت من العوائل الغیر مناسبة لتربیة هذا المفترس.