Acaricide resistance in phytophagous (Tetranychus urticae) and predaceous (Phytoseiulus macropilis) mites and strategies for the management of pest mites with the use of predaceous mites (Phytoseiidae) in ornamentals and citrus

Abstract

One of the factors that hamper the production and marketing of various agricultural crops of economic importance in Brazil is the attack of various species of pest mites, with emphasize to those of the families Tetranychidae (e.g.: Tetranychus, Panonychus) and Tenuipapidae (e.g.: Brevipalpus). The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, causes serious damage in several crops, including strawberry, papaya, peach, grapes, beans, cotton, rose, chrysanthemum and gerbera in the country. The mites Brevipalpus spp. are considered key pests in crops such as citrus, coffee, various fruit trees and ornamentals, and are associated with the transmission of several viruses, including the Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV) and Coffee ringspot virus (CoRSV). One of the serious problems face by the growers is the difficulty of controlling pest mites with pesticides. The biological disequilibrium caused by the suppression of the natural enemies and the rapid development of acaricide resistance in these pests are among the main reasons for this difficulty of control. The general objective of the project is to get basic information for the establishment of programs for pest mite (Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae) management in several crops, with emphasis on ornamentals, citrus and coffee. The specific objectives are: to study acaricide resistance in T. urticae, in several crops of economic importance; 2) study the resistance of predatory mites, mainly Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks), to acaricides (including studies on biochemical and molecular characterization of acaricide resistance, with transcriptome analysis in S and R strains of P. macropilis); 3) evaluate the effect of agrochemicals, natural compounds (plant extracts) and entomopathogens (fungi, bacteria) on phytophagous (T. urticae, Brevipalpus yothersi, Brevipalpus papayensis) and predaceus (Neoseiulus transversus, Neoseiulus californicus, Euseius citrifolius) mites; 4) evaluate strategies for the management of pest mites in gerberas, orchids and citrus, including releases of predaceous mites (Phytoseiidae) for the biological control of pest mites. (AU)