Evaluation of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius andersoni (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) as biological control agents of Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein) (Acari: Tetranychidae) on citrus

Abstract

Amblyseius andersoni and Amblyseius swirskii are used to control the citrus pest Eutetranychus orientalis. Field experiments were conducted in Marrakech region for two months (November and December) in 2018 to evaluate the control effect of these predator species releases. In the control of E. orientalis population, Amblyseius andersoni with100 mites/tree reduced the densities under 3 motiles/leaf, while rates of 25 and 50 mites/tree these were maintained between 8.93 and 4.76 motiles per leaves, and between 12.16 and 4.33 eggs per leaves 5 and 6 weeks after treatment (WAT). Nevertheless, Amblyseius swirskii showed moderate performance, especially with 100 mites/tree densities ranged between 3.45 and 3.52 motiles per leaves, and between 14.8 and 9.46 eggs per leaves 5 and 6 WAT. The combination of both predators showed no significant difference to the former results. In summary, the two predators showed the potential to control E. orientalis in Moroccan citrus.

Keywords:

• Oriental red mite
• citrus
• predator species
• release
• intraguild predation
• biological control

Acknowledgements

We give special thanks to A. Ait Abdellah and A. Loumir for helping the field trials and all the leaders of AGAFAY Domain Company. The authors are grateful also to M. Mostafa for proofreading the English of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.