Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wzw2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-10T13:22:23.313Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Preselecting predatory mites for biological control: the use of an olfactometer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

A. Janssen
Affiliation:
Department of Population Biology, University of Leiden, The Netherlands and Department of Pure and Applied Ecology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
C.D. Hofker
Affiliation:
Department of Population Biology, University of Leiden, The Netherlands
A.R. Braun
Affiliation:
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia
N. Mesa
Affiliation:
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia
M.W. Sabelis
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Ecology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
A.C. Bellotti
Affiliation:
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia

Abstract

Previous investigations showed that (1) predatory mites use odours volatilizing from spider-mite infested plants for remote prey selection and (2) the response to the volatiles is correlated to the predator's ability to control populations of the prey species. Based on this correlation, it is hypothesized that preselecting predatory mites with the aid of olfactometer experiments will increase the probability of finding an efficient natural enemy. Y-tube olfactometer experiments with 11 species of phytoseiids showed that only four species were attracted by the odour of cassava leaves infested with cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar). If the hypothesis mentioned above is valid, the probability of finding an efficient natural enemy within this group of four will be higher than finding one by randomly taking a species from the initial group of 11 species. Since testing of phytoseiids with an olfactometer can be done in a few hours, it is suggested that these tests precede more laborious evaluation methods.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bellotti, A.C., Mesa, N., Serrano, M., Guerrero, J.M. & Herrera, C.J. (1987) Taxonomic inventory and survey activity for natural enemies of cassava green mites in the Americas. Insect Science and its Application 8, 845849.Google Scholar
Braun, A.R., Bellotti, A.C., Guerrero, J.M. & Wilson, L.T. (1989) Effect of predator exclusion on cassava infested with tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae). Environmental Entomology 18, 711714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dicke, M. (1988) Prey preference of the phytoseiid mite Typhlodromus pyri: response to volatile kairomones. Experimental and Applied Acarology 4, 113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dicke, M. & Groeneveld, A. (1986) Hierarchical structure in kairomone preference of the predatory mite Amblyseius potentillae: dietary component indispensable for diapause induction affects prey location behaviour. Ecological Entomology 11, 131138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dicke, M., Sabelis, M.W. & Groeneveld, A. (1986) Vitamin A deficiency modifies the response of predatory mite Amblyseius potentillae to volatile kairomone of two-spotted spider mite. Journal of Chemical Ecology 12, 13891396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dicke, M., Sabelis, M.W. & de Long, M. (1988) Analysis of prey preference in phytoseiid mites by using an olfactometer, predation models and electrophoresis. Experimental and Applied Acarology 5, 225241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dong, H. & Chant, D.A. (1986) The olfactory response of three species of predacious phytoseiid mites (Acarina: Gamasina) to a prey tetranychid species. International Journal of Acarology 12, 5155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, D.T. & Croft, B.A. (1976) Laboratory study of the dispersal behavior of Amblyseius fallacis (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 69, 10191023.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McMurtry, J.A. (1982) The use of phytoseiids for biological control: progress and future prospects, pp. 2348in Hoy, M. (Ed.) Recent advances in knowledge of the Phytoseiidae. University of California Publication 3284.Google Scholar
Megevand, B., Yaninek, J.S. & Friese, D.D. (1987) Classical biological control of the cassava green mite. Insect Science and its Application 8, 871874.Google Scholar
Sabelis, M.W. & van de Baan, H.E. (1983) Location of distant spider mite colonies by phytoseiid predators: demonstration of specific kairomones emitted by Tetranychus urticae and Panonychus ulmi. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 33, 303314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sabelis, M.W., Afman, B.P. & Slim, P.J. (1984a) Location of distant spider mite colonies by Phytoseiulus persimilis: localization and extraction of a kairomone. Acarology 6, 431440.Google Scholar
Sabelis, M.W., Vermaat, J.E. & Groeneveld, A. (1984b) Arrestment responses of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis to steep odour gradients of a kairomone. Physiological Entomology 9, 437446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yaninek, J.S. & Animashaun, A. (1987) Why cassava green mites are dry season pests, pp. 5967in Rijks, D. & Mathys, G. (Eds) Proceedings of the Seminar on Agrometeorology and Crop Protection in the lowland humid and subhumid tropics. Cotonou, Benin 7–11 July 1986.Google Scholar
Yaninek, J.S. & Bellotti, A.C. (1987) Exploration for natural enemies of cassava green mites based on agrometeorological criteria, pp. 6975in Rijks, D. & Mathys, G. (Eds) Proceedings of the Seminar on Agrometeorology and Crop Protection in the lowland humid and subhumid tropics. Cotonou, Benin 7–11 July 1986.Google Scholar
Yaninek, J.S. & Herren, H.R. (1988) Introduction and spread of the cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) (Acari: Tetranychidae), an exotic pest in Africa and the search for appropriate control methods: a review. Bulletin of Entomological Research 78, 113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yaninek, J.S., Herren, H.R. & Gutierrez, A.P. (1987) The biological basis for the seasonal outbreak of cassava green mite in Africa. Insect Science and its Application 8, 861865.Google Scholar