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Journal of Entomology

Year: 2011 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 365-374
DOI: 10.3923/je.2011.365.374
Plant Pollen as an Alternative Food Source for Rearing Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Hail, Saudi Arabia
Kholoud A. Al-Shammery

Abstract: Four kinds of plant pollen were tested as an alternative food source for rearing the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) under laboratory conditions of 26°C and 70%RH. Pollen grains were extracted from date palm Pheonyx dactylefira L., sour orange Citrus aurantium L., castor bean Ricinus communis L. and alfalfa Medicago sativa L. Individuals of the predatory mite were collected from leaves of eggplant in Hail district during spring 2010. Mite individuals were provided and reared on the aforementioned pollens for their whole life span. Total developmental period significantly affected by kind of pollen. Date palm pollen highly shortened the development followed by alfalfa, citrus and castor bean. Feeding on date palm pollen caused the highest rate of survival (94%) and gradually declined to 92, 90 and 89% when mites were provided with citrus, alfalfa and castor bean pollen, respectively. During adulthood, female deposited 42.62, 30.22, 21.16 and 13.46 eggs in approximately 12.42, 10.82, 9.44 and 7.22 days when fed date palm, alfalfa, castor bean and citrus pollen, respectively. Mean generation time (T) averaged 17.19, 17.86, 19.08 and 20.47 days; net reproductive rate (R0) 34.93, 30.81, 15.59 and 18.51 female/female/day; intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) 0.20, 0.192, 0.134 and 0.153; finite rate of increase erm (λ) 1.22, 1.21, 1.14 and 1.15 when mites fed the same kinds of pollen, respectively. The tested plant pollen is considered a suitable alternative food source and meet the nutritional requirements of E. scutalis in Hail, Saudi Arabia.

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How to cite this article
Kholoud A. Al-Shammery , 2011. Plant Pollen as an Alternative Food Source for Rearing Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Entomology, 8: 365-374.

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