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Impact of a tarsonemid prey mite and its fungal diet on the reproductive performance of a predatory mite

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Abstract

Phytoseiid predatory mites are the most important group of biocontrol agents currently used in protected cultivations worldwide. The possibility to produce these predators at high densities on factitious prey mites is a crucial factor for their success. Commonly used factitious prey mites comprise mainly species belonging to the cohort of Astigmatina. In the present study, we investigated the potential of tarsonemid prey mites as a food source for the spider mite predator Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The oviposition of N. californicus on mixed stages of Tarsonemus fusarii Cooreman (Acari: Tarsonemidae) was similar to that on its natural prey, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). As most tarsonemids are specialized fungus-feeders, we tested the effect of different fungal species on the growth of T. fusarii. Subsequently, we analysed the impact on the fungal growing medium on the oviposition of N. californicus. The fungal growing medium of T. fusarii had a significant negative effect on the reproductive output of the predatory mite. When T. fusarii was separated from the rearing medium, these detrimental effects were not observed. The present study shows the potential of using tarsonemid prey mites in the production of phytoseiid predatory mites.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Peggy Bogaerts and Ilse Jacobs for the help with growing the plant material and maintenance of the spider mite production.

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  1. Biobest N.V., Ilse Velden 18, 2260, Westerlo, Belgium

    Dominiek Vangansbeke, Marcus V. A. Duarte, Jonas Merckx, Alfredo Benavente, Soraya C. França, Karel Bolckmans & Felix L. Wäckers

  2. Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland

    Wojciech L. Magowski

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  1. Dominiek Vangansbeke
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Vangansbeke, D., Duarte, M.V.A., Merckx, J. et al. Impact of a tarsonemid prey mite and its fungal diet on the reproductive performance of a predatory mite. Exp Appl Acarol 83, 313–323 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00594-7

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