Silva Fernando R da, Moraes Gilberto J de, Gondim Manoel G C, Knapp Markus, Rouam Sigrid L, Paes Jefferson L A, Oliveira Guilherme M de
Depto de Entomologia e Acarologia, ESALQ, USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil.
Neotrop Entomol. 2010 Nov-Dec;39(6):991-5. doi: 10.1590/s1519-566x2010000600022.
The spider mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard can cause severe damage to tomato crops. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes Evans was recently reported in association with T. evansi in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of P. longipes on the population of T. evansi on tomatoes under screenhouse condition. The study consisted on four experiments, in each of which 80 potted plantlets were distributed in two plots of 40 plantlets each. Two weeks later, each plantlet of both plots was infested with eight adult females of T. evansi; one week after, four adult females of P. longipes were released onto each plant of one plot. The population levels of T. evansi and the damage caused by these mites were significantly lower (P < 0.05; linear mixed-effect model) in the plots where P. longipes had been released. The results indicate the potential of this predator as a candidate for classical biological control of T. evansi by inoculative releases on tomato plants.
二斑叶螨（Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard）会对番茄作物造成严重损害。掠食性螨类智利小植绥螨（Phytoseiulus longipes Evans）最近在巴西南里奥格兰德州乌鲁瓜亚纳被报道与二斑叶螨有关。本研究的目的是评估智利小植绥螨在温室条件下对番茄上二斑叶螨种群的影响。该研究包括四个实验，每个实验中80株盆栽幼苗被分布在两个各有40株幼苗的地块中。两周后，两个地块的每株幼苗都接种8只二斑叶螨成年雌螨；一周后，在其中一个地块的每株植物上释放4只智利小植绥螨成年雌螨。在释放了智利小植绥螨的地块中，二斑叶螨的种群数量以及这些螨类造成的损害显著更低（P < 0.05；线性混合效应模型）。结果表明，这种捕食性螨类有潜力通过在番茄植株上接种释放，作为二斑叶螨经典生物防治的候选者。
