Effect of Temperature and Prey on Biology and Life Table Parameters of Predatory Mite Phytoseius finitimus Reared on Aceria melongena and Tetranychus urticae Under Laboratory Conditions

Walash, E.H., S.Z. Elkholy and M.R. El-Aassar. 2024. Effect of Temperature and Prey on Biology and Life Table Parameters of Predatory Mite Phytoseius finitimus Reared on Aceria melongena and Tetranychus urticae Under Laboratory Conditions. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 42(3): 361-367. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-001247 The developmental time, fecundity and life table parameters of the phytoseiid predatory mite Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga fed on immature stages of Aceria melongena (Zaher & Abou-Awad) and Tetranychus urticae Koch were studied in the laboratory at three different temperatures (22, 27 and 32°C), to find out the possibility of using the predator as a biological control component of eggplant phytophagous mites. Total developmental time of P. finitimus female and male was shortest and reached 5.56 and 5.33 days, respectively, on A. melongena at 32°C, whereas the longest period was 12.05 and 10.96 days, respectively, on T. urticae at 22°C. The oviposition period was longest 33.35 days on T. urticae at 22°C. The total egg production rates were the highest on A. melongena (40.37 eggs/female) with daily rate of 2.05 eggs/♀/day at 32°C. A diet of A. melongena showed a higher value of the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) which was 0.230 ♀/♀/day at 32°C. The net reproductive rate was highly affected by temperatures where (R0) values were 23.45 and 19.19; 19.79 and 16.99; 16.98 and 12.72 ♀/♀ at 32, 27 and 22°C for A. melongena and T. urticae, respectively. The predation rates of P. finitimus increased with temperature increase. A significant difference between the three temperatures and two prey diets on the feeding capacity of adult female and male. The lowest life cycle thermal threshold (t0) ranged between 8.55 and 12.41°C. The lower temperature threshold (t0) and thermal constant (K) for the total immature stages of this predator was calculated to be 11.72 and 115.22°C degree-days for A. melongena, and 7.94 and 171.63°C degree-days for T. urticae, respectively. These values suggested that the optimal temperature for the population growth of P. finitimus ranged between 27 and 32°C. Our findings suggest that P. finitimus can successfully complete its life cycle on A. melongena and T. urticae and have excellent potential as a biological control agent for two pests on eggplant under field conditions. Temperatures 22 and 27°C seem to be more suitable for mass rearing of this predator mite fed on two prey diets. The eriophyid mite A. melongena was more favored to the predator mite than T. urticae. Keywords: Phytoseiidae, Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae, biological control, predation