Spider mites on apple trees | Paučinari na jabuci
2011
Petrović, A.
Spider mites (Tetranychidae) are obligatory phytoparasitic mites which have recently been indicated as economically significant pests in fruit growing. Spider mites have specific morphophysiological and ecological characteristics and high potential of population growth which could induce high adaptation level of certain species to host phenological rhythm. Their efficient manners of dispersal are the results of successful adaptation on unstable habitats, such as apple orchards. Presented results contain the worldwide research history of spider mites, basic morphoanatomic characteristics of European Red Mite and Two-spotted Spider Mite, their population dynamics obtained from two localities (Rimski Sancevi and Maradik, Serbia) during 2004-2008, on four apple varieties: Idared, Jonagored, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, and the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on seasonal fluctuations. Two species of tetranichid mites were emphasized based on their significance as pests in orchards: Panonychus ulmi (Koch, 1836) and Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836). The highest influences on fluctuations in seasonal abundance and population densities have had abiotic factors such as: temperature, relative air humidity and precipitation which significance was statistically confirmed. Statistically analyzed data confirmed that oviposition and position of motile stages were random depending on cardinal directions (north, south, east and west). Also, the identified spider mite species have not had any preference referred to the apple varieties. Continuous monitoring of spider mite populations in apple orchards represents the most efficient method of prediction and evaluation of population densities, which is very important for agricultural production. Using this method, their outbreak could be in appropriate time and economically adequately suppressed and controlled in order to maintain the threshold of population densities at leaves below the economy injury level.
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