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Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2005 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 168-174
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Authors

Suloiman M. Al Rehiayani

Ahmed H. Fouly

Keywords

Research Article

Cosmolaelaps simplex (Berlese), a Polyphagous Predatory Mite Feeding on Root-knot Nematode Meloidogyne javanica and Citrus Nematode Tylenchulus semipenetrans

Suloiman M. Al Rehiayani and Ahmed H. Fouly
Biological aspects of the laelapid mite Cosmolaelaps simplex (Fox) was studied for the first time after feeding on one acarid mite species Caloglyphus rodriguezi Samsinak and egg masses of two plant parasitic nematodes Meloidogyne javanica Treub and Tylenchulus semipenetrans (Cobb) at 26°C. Also, the effect of adding of mite individuals or aldicarb to citrus seedlings infected with citrus nematodes T. semipenetrans was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The laelapid mite successfully completed its life span feeding on the previous preys. The developmental time of C. simplex averaged 8.4, 8.8 and 10.6 days for male immatures and averaged 10.3, 12.6 and 13.9 days for females when they were fed on acarid mites and egg masses of both M. javanica and T. semipenetrans at 26°C, respectively. Larvae didn’t feed and the mite passed through two nymphal stages before adulthood. Males had a shorter life span than females where they lasted for an average of 37.6, 42.0 and 44.9 days for males and 45.7, 45.9 and 48.6 days for females after feeding on the same previous food sources, respectively. Arrhenotoky parthenogenesis was observed where un-mated females put eggs that gave males. Egg production was higher when C. simplex fed on the acarid mites where the net reproductive rate (Ro) was 20.46, while it decreased to 13.62 and 13.10 after feeding on egg masses of root-knot and citrus nematodes, respectively. The predatory mite had a mean generation time (T) of 22.24, 21.07 and 20.22, while the net rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.135, 0.123 and 0.127 after feeding on the aforementioned preys, respectively. Enhanced citrus seedlings growth were achieved when citrus seedlings were treated with the nematicide aldicarb and followed by those treated with mite individuals added at the same time of nematode inoculation. Compared to the nematode-alone control, all mite treatments and aldicarb significantly restricted reproduction of citrus nematode. Nematode populations ranged from 1386 to 1665 J2/100 cm3 soil for the mite-treated plants compared to 4011 J2/100 cm3 soil for the nematode untreated control. Moreover, the predatory mite C. simplex showed a preferable response to the acarid mites but it also significantly reduced citrus nematode T. semipenetrans populations under greenhouse conditions.
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