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Evaluation of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Dermanyssidae) susceptibility to some acaricides in field populations from Italy

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Abstract

Red mite field populations from seven naturally infested Italian caged laying poultry farms were investigated for their susceptibility to acaricide formulations available on the market, containing amitraz, carbaryl and permethrin. A minimum of 3,000 mites of all stages were collected from each farm and were tested with five acaricide concentrations (5, 10, 20, 50, 100%) plus an untreated control (0%). Field red mite populations were found to be tolerant even with the highest concentrations with carbaryl and permethrin for six (86%) and three (42%) of the investigated farms, respectively (P < 0.05). Furthermore, six (86%) of the investigated farms showed a red mite population susceptible to amitraz at any concentration. Out of the seven field populations tested with amitraz, one population is becoming less tolerant whereas another was the most tolerant to carbaryl and permethrin at any concentration. Data show that the lack of effectiveness of some acaricides is spreading in Europe and call for the adoption of alternative management strategies to avoid development of resistance.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a research grant (Ricerca Corrente 2006—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata) from the Ministry of Health, Italy and by a grant (British-Italian Partnership Programme) from the British Council-CRUI, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento PrIME and Centro Interdipartimentale Bioagromed, Facoltà di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Foggia, 71100, Foggia, Italy

    M. Marangi & A. Giangaspero

  2. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia, Italy

    M. A. Cafiero

  3. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Padova, Italy

    G. Capelli

  4. Dipartimento di Sanità pubblica e Zootecnia, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy

    A. Camarda

  5. School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    O. A. E. Sparagano

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  1. M. Marangi
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  2. M. A. Cafiero
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  3. G. Capelli
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  4. A. Camarda
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  5. O. A. E. Sparagano
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  6. A. Giangaspero
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Giangaspero.

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Marangi, M., Cafiero, M.A., Capelli, G. et al. Evaluation of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Dermanyssidae) susceptibility to some acaricides in field populations from Italy. Exp Appl Acarol 48, 11–18 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9224-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9224-0

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