Articles
FITNESS OF COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED, SHIPPED AND STORED PHYTOSEIULUS PERSIMILIS ATHIAS-HENRIOT (ACARI:PHYTOSEIIDAE) PREDATORS FOR DISPERSING IN FLORIDA STRAWBERRY
Article number
439_149
Pages
913 – 916
Language
Abstract
In order to determine the effects of 4°C storage of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari:Phytoseiidae) at strawberry production sites in Florida, commercial shipping bottles of the predators mixed with vermiculite were shipped from California on the day of predator harvest to arrive the following day.
Beginning the day of arrival and on each of the next 6 days, eight replicates of 5 mL samples were taken from a different bottle each day.
Samples were placed in bottoms of 85 mm diameter x 80 mm high cardboard ice cream containers and placed at 27°C and daytime light conditions.
As a measure of fitness for dispersal, predators that reached tops of containers during each 5 minute interval were counted during 2 hours.
After 2 hours, all predators that had not reached the top, and that were assumed to be poorly fit for dispersal, were counted.
There was a positive linear response (Y = 2.718 + 3.886X) to days of storage in the portion of predators that failed to reach the top of the container in 2 hours and a positive quadratic response (Y = 12.131 – 0.480X + 0.292X2) in the time for 50% of the successful population to reach the top of the container.
Strawberry producers should release predators as quickly as possible and understand that with ideal conditions, dispersal fitness decreases greatly after 5 days.
Beginning the day of arrival and on each of the next 6 days, eight replicates of 5 mL samples were taken from a different bottle each day.
Samples were placed in bottoms of 85 mm diameter x 80 mm high cardboard ice cream containers and placed at 27°C and daytime light conditions.
As a measure of fitness for dispersal, predators that reached tops of containers during each 5 minute interval were counted during 2 hours.
After 2 hours, all predators that had not reached the top, and that were assumed to be poorly fit for dispersal, were counted.
There was a positive linear response (Y = 2.718 + 3.886X) to days of storage in the portion of predators that failed to reach the top of the container in 2 hours and a positive quadratic response (Y = 12.131 – 0.480X + 0.292X2) in the time for 50% of the successful population to reach the top of the container.
Strawberry producers should release predators as quickly as possible and understand that with ideal conditions, dispersal fitness decreases greatly after 5 days.
Publication
Authors
J.F. Price, F.Q. Nguyen
Keywords
Fragaria x ananassa, biological control, dispersal ability, insects, integrated pest management, IPM, reproduction, two-spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae, storage
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