Systematic & Applied Acarology ISSN 1362-1971 An international journal of the Systematic and Applied Acarology Society, published since 1996 [Aims] [Editors] [Content] [Subscriptions] [Contact details] [Society Homepage]

Systematic & Applied Acarology (2010) 15, 3–20.

New records of Tetranychus evansi and associated natural enemies in northern Argentina

ALBERTO DANIEL GUANILO^1,2, GILBERTO JOSÉ DE MORAES¹, SILVANA TOLEDO³ AND MARKUS KNAPP⁴

1. Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia; Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”; Universidade de São Paulo; 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP; Brazil; 
2. R and D Entomology Bugs for Bugs, Bowen St., Mundubbera Qld 4626, Australia, e-mail: a_guanilo@yahoo.co.uk; 
3. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres (EEAOC), Tucumán, Argentina, e-mail: siltoledo@eeaoc.org.ar; 4. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; current address: Koppert Biological Systems, Postbus 155, 2650 AD Berkel en Rodenrijs, The Netherlands, e-mail: mknapp@koppert.nl

Abstract

The tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard, has been considered as a threat to tomato production in some countries. Limited efforts have been dedicated to search for this mite and its natural enemies in Argentina. The objective of this study was to further study the distribution of T. evansi and the occurrence of associated natural enemies of this mite in the northern part of that country. The survey was conducted in the provinces of Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Santiago del Estero, Salta and Tucumán. A total of 1959 mites belonging to 57 species was found. Tetranychus evansi was found in the latter 5 provinces, which are located along the borders to Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Euseius concordis (Chant) (Phytoseiidae) was the most abundant and frequent predator in this study; other predators were much less abundant and frequent. None of the predators found seem to be promising as a control agent of T. evansi. The pathogenic fungus Neozygites floridana Weiser and Muma (Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae) was the most common natural enemy associated with T. evansi. It was found infecting T. evansi on tomato and eggplant. Further studies on the prospective use of this fungus for the control of T. evansi are warranted.

Keywords: Biological control, predaceous mites, Neozygites floridana, Solanaceae

References

Amrine, J.W.Jr. & Manson, D.C.M. (1996) Preparation, mounting and descriptive study of Eriophyoid mites. In: Lindquist, E.E., Sabelis, M.W. & Bruin, J. (eds.) Eriophyoid mites: their biology, natural enemies and control. Amsterdam, Elsevier. pp. 383–321.

Bolland, H.R.J., Gutierrez, J. & Flechtmann, C.H.W. (1998) World catalog of the spider mite family (Acari: Tetranychidae). Brill, Leiden. 392 pp.

Delalibera, I.Jr., Demetrio, C.G.B., Manly, B.F.J. & Hajek, A. (2006) Effect of relative humidity and origin of isolates of Neozygites tanajoae (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) on production of conidia from cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa (Acari: Tetranychidae) cadavers. Biological Control, 39, 489–496.

Escudero, L.A. & Ferragut, F. (2005) Life-history of predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on four spider mite species as prey, with special reference to Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae). Biological Control, 2, 378–384.

Escudero, L.A, Baldó Gosález, M. & Ferragut. F. (2005) Eficacia de los fitoseidos como depredodores de las arañas rojas de cultivos hortícolas Tetranychus urticae, T. turdestani, T. ludeni y T. evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae). Boletín de Sanidad Vegetal. Plagas, 31, 377–383.

Fiaboe, K.K.M., Fonseca, R.L., Moraes, G.J.de., Ogol, C.K.P.O. & Knapp, M. (2006) Identification of priority areas in South America for exploration of natural enemies for classical biological control of Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Africa. Biological Control, 38, 373–379.

Fiaboe, K.K.M., Gondim, M.G.C.Jr., Moraes, G.J.de, Ogol, C.K.P.O. & Knapp. M. (2007) Surveys for natural enemies of the tomato red spider mite Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the northeastern and southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 1395, 33–58.

Furtado, I.P. (2006) Sélection d'ennemis naturels pour la lutte biologique contre Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae), en Afrique. Thèse (Doctorale Biologie de l’Evolution et Ecologie), Université de Montpellier II, Montpellier, France. 185 pp.

Furtado, I. P., Kreiter, S., Moraes, G.J.de., Tixier, M.S., Flechtmann, C.H.W. & Knapp. M. (2005) Plant mites (Acari) from northeastern Brazil, with descriptions of two new species of the family Phytoseiidae (Mesostigmata). Acarologia, 45, 131–143.

Furtado, I.P., Moraes, G.J.de, Kreiter, S. & Knapp, M. (2006) Search for effective natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi in south and southeast Brazil. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 40, 157–174.

Furtado, I.P., Moraes, G.J.de., Kreiter, S., Tixier, M.S. & Knapp. M. (2007a) Potential of a Brazilian population of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes as a biological control agent of Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae). Biological Control, 42, 139–147.

Furtado, I.P., Toledo, S.E., Moraes, G.J.de, Kreiter, E.S. & Knapp, M. (2007b) Search for effective natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) in northwest Argentina. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 43, 121–127.

Gonzalez, R.H. (1989) Insectos y ácaros de importancia agrícola y cuarentenaria en Chile. Santiago, Basf. 400pp.

Gonzalez, R.H. & Flechtmann, C.H.W. (1977) Revisión de los ácaros fitófagos en el Perú y descripción de un nuevo género de Tetranychidae (Acari). Revista Peruana de Entomología, 20, 67–71.

Gonzalez, R.H. & Schuster, R.O. (1962) Especies de la familia Phytoseiidae en Chile I. (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Universidad de Chile, Estación Experimental Agronómica, 16, 1–35.

Guanilo, A.D., Moraes, G.J.de, Toledo, S. & Knapp, M. (2008) Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Argentina, with description of a new species. Zootaxa, 1884, 1–35.

Gutierrez, J. & Etienne, J. (1986) Les Tetranychidae de l'île de la Reunión et quelques-uns de leurs prédateurs. Agronomie Tropicale, 41, 84–91.

Herrero, A.P.J., Fernández, R.V. & Escudero, L.A. (1990) Mesoseiulus longipes (Evans) (Acari-Phytoseiidae) un nuevo ácaro benéfico en el agroecosistema cítrico de Tucumán. Revista Agronómica del Noroeste Argentino, 25, 49–61.

Humber, R.A., Moraes, G.J. de., Santos, J.M.dos. (1981) Natural infection of Tetranychus evansi (Acarina: Tetranychidae) by a Triplosporium sp. (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) in Northeastern Brazil. Entomophaga, 26, 421–425.

Keifer, H.H. (1975) Eriophyoidea. In: Jeppson, L.R., Keifer, H.H. & Baker, W. (eds.). Mites injurious to economic plants. Berkeley, University of California Press, pp. 327–396.

Knapp, M., Wagener B. & Navajas. M. (2003) Molecular discrimination between the spider mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Prichard, an important pest of tomatoes in southern Africa, and the closely related species T. urticae Koch (Acarina: Tetranychidae). African Entomology Journal, 11, 300–304.

Lemme, M.C., Herrero A.P.J., Kirschbaum, D.S. & Nasca, A.J. (1996) Artrópodos asociados al cultivo de la frutilla (Fragaria ananassa) en Tucumán. Vedalia, 3, 51–52.

McGregor, E.A. (1955) Notes on spider mites (Tetranychidae) of Ecuador. Revista Ecuatoriana de Entomología y Parasitología, 2, 365–375.

McMurtry, J.A. & Croft, B.A. (1997) Life-styles of phytoseiid mites and their roles in biological control. Annual Review of Entomology, 42, 291–321.

Migeon, A., Ferragut, F., Escudero-Colomar, L.A., Fiaboe, K., Knapp, M., Moraes, G.J.de. , Ueckermann, E. & Navajas, M. (2009) Modelling the potential distribution of the invasive tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae). Experimental and Applied Acarology, 48, 199–212.

Moraes, G.J.de. & Lima, H.C. (1983) Biology of Euseius concordis (Chant) (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) a predator of the tomato russet mite. Acarologia, 24, 251–255.

Moraes, G.J.de., McMurtry, J.A. & Baker. E.W. (1987) Redescription and distribution of the spider mites Tetranychus evansi and T. marianae. Acarologia, 28, 333–343.

Müther, J. (1998) Auswirkungen von Pflanzenschtzmitteln und Anbauverfahren auf die Biologie und Ökologie natürlicher Gegenspieler von Spinnmilben – Eine Beurteilung für den Kernobstbau in Nord-Patagonien, Argentinien, Plits 16, 168 pp.

Oduor, I.G., Yaninek, J.S., Van der Geest, L.P.S. & Moraes, G.J.de. (1996) Germination and viability of capilliconidia of Neozygites floridana (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) under constant temperature, humidity, and light conditions. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 67, 267–278.

Rosa, A.A., Gondim, M.G.C.Jr., Fiaboe, K.K.M., Moraes, G.J. de & Knapp, M. (2005) Predatory mites associated with Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae) on native solanaceous plants of coastal Pernambuco State, Brazil. Neotropical Entomology, 34, 689–692.

Saunyama, I. & Knapp, M. (2003) The effects of pruning and trellising of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) on red spider mite (Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard) incidence and crop yield in Zimbabwe. African Crop Science Journal, 11, 269–277.

Silva, F.R., Moraes, G.J.de. & Knapp, M. (2008) Distribution of Tetranychus evansi and its predator Phytoseiulus longipes (Acari: Tetranychidae, Phytoseiidae) in southern Brazil. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 45, 137–145.

Van der Geest, L.P.S., Elliot, S.L. & Breeuwer, J.A.J. (2000) Diseases of mites. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 24, 497–560.

Vasconcelos, G.J.N. (2006) Eficiência dos ácaros predadores Phytoseiulus fragariae e Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) no controle de Tetranychus evansi e T. urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) em Lycopersi con esculentum e Solanum americanum. Dissertação Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”. Universidade de São Paulo. 83 pp.

Vasconcelos, G.J.N., Moraes, G.J.de, Delalibera, I.Jr. & Knapp, M. (2008) Life history of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus fragariae on Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae) at five temperatures. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 44, 27–36.

Wekesa, V.W., Moraes, G.J.de., Knapp, M. & Delalibera, I. Jr. (2007) Interactions of two natural enemies of Tetranychus evansi, the fungal pathogen Neozygites floridana (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) and the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus longipes (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Biological Control, 41, 408–414.

Accepted by Owen Seeman: 19 Feb. 2010; published 31 Mar. 2010