Evaluation of two predatory mites as potential biological control agent of an invasive thrips species

• Ano de defesa: 2019
• Autor(a) principal: Carbajal, Paola Alejandra Flores
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Ácaros no controle biológico de pragas; Echinothrips caribeanus; Pimentão; CIENCIAS AGRARIAS::AGRONOMIA::FITOSSANIDADE::ENTOMOLOGIA AGRICOLA
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/32435

Amblyseius herbicolus and Amblyseius tamatavensis are two predatory mites native from Brazil to the Phytoseiidae family that have been used in different studies to assess their potential as biological control agents of different types of pests. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of these two predatory mites to control Echinothrips caribeanus, which is an invasive thrips species, reported in Brazil. The study was done in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. We evaluated (1) predation rates of the predatory mites feeding on immatures stages of thrips, (2) oviposition, development and survival rates of the predators mites feeding on immatures thrips and on cattail pollen and (3) population dynamics of E. caribeanus on sweet pepper plants in the presence of A. herbicolus and A. tamatavensis. Our results showed that under laboratory conditions, A. herbicolus show a higher predation rate of E. caribeanus immature compare with A. tamatavensis. The highest oviposition and survival rates of both species were found with pollen, as the diet offered. Data on development was not presented because neither species of predatory mites reached adulthood feeding on immature of thrips. Under greenhouses conditions, the thrips population dynamics was lower on A. tamatavensis treatment compare with A. herbicolus. Population dynamics of the predatory mite A. tamatavensis was higher than the other predatory mite due to an increase at the end of the evaluation period. Nevertheless, the results found in laboratory and greenhouse experiments are not promising to indicate these two predatory mites as potential biological control agents of this invasive thrips species. Keywords: Predatory mites. Biological control. Thrips. Sweet pepper.