Temperature-Dependent Development of Amblyseius Swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus Urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract

In this study, developmental time of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot feeding on immature stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch was evaluated at eight constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 35, and 37.5 degrees C) providing 60 +/- 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16 L: 8 D. Duration of the egg to adult developmental time decreased sharply with increasing temperature, except at 37.5 degrees C. To describe the developmental rate of A. swirskii as a function of temperature, one linear and 9 nonlinear models (Logan-6, Logan-10, Lactin-1, Lactin2, Briere-1, Briere-2, Analytis-3, Polynomial, and Equation-16) were fitted. The lower temperature threshold (T-0) and the thermal constant (K) were estimated by the linear model for the total immature stage as 7.90 degrees C and 140.85 DD, respectively. Based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and R-adj(2), Polynomial, Analytis-3, Analytis-3, Logan-10 and Briere-2 were the best models for eggs, larvae, protonymphs, deutonymphs and total immature stages of A. swirskii, respectively. Our findings showed that development and predation of A. swirskii occurs in a wide range of temperatures. Therefore, this predatory mite could be applied in control of T. urticae in different weather conditions.