Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
J Econ Entomol. 2021 Dec 6;114(6):2255-2263. doi: 10.1093/jee/toab163.
Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), an economically important biocontrol agent, was reared on almond pollen for 50 generations. We evaluated the effect of rearing predators on this pollen by comparing biological parameters at different generations (G1-G50). The shortest and longest development time occurred in G5 and G10, respectively. Females at the fifth and 50th generations laid eggs earlier than those of other generations. Females at G50 laid eggs over a longer period and produced more eggs than females of other generations, although females in the earlier generations had a higher gross reproductive rate and net reproductive rate than later generations. The intrinsic rate of increase, as well as the finite rate of increase of N. cucumeris in the fifth and 50th generations was significantly greater than those in other generations, while the first generation had the lowest values of these parameters. The dorsal shield length of both females and males and the width of females were found to be unaffected by their constant feeding on almond pollen. However, the number of rearing generations significantly affected the width of males. Long-term rearing of N. cucumeris for at least 50 generation on almond pollen did not substantially affect the predator's quality and this food source could be used for the mass production of this predator. Almond pollen should be assessed in rearing other phytoseiid mites that are important in biocontrol strategies.
智利小植绥螨（Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans)）（蜱螨目：植绥螨科）是一种重要的经济上有价值的生物防治剂，已在杏仁花粉上连续繁殖了 50 代。我们通过比较不同代（G1-G50）的生物参数来评估饲养捕食者对这种花粉的影响。最短和最长的发育时间分别发生在 G5 和 G10。第五代和第五十代的雌螨产卵时间早于其他世代的雌螨。第五十代的雌螨产卵期较长，产卵量多于其他世代的雌螨，尽管早期世代的雌螨具有比后期世代更高的总生殖率和净生殖率。第五代和第五十代的内禀增长率以及有限增长率都显著大于其他世代，而第一代的这些参数值最低。雌雄螨的背板长度和雌螨的宽度不受其持续以杏仁花粉为食的影响。然而，饲养代数显著影响雄螨的宽度。长期连续在杏仁花粉上饲养智利小植绥螨至少 50 代不会显著影响捕食者的质量，并且这种食物来源可用于这种捕食者的大规模生产。在生物防治策略中，应该评估杏仁花粉对其他重要的植绥螨类的饲养效果。
