Choice tests to determine the preference behavior of the Phytoseiidae species Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki (Wainstein) among a combination of plants and food
2024
Tixier, Marie-Stéphane | Charalabidis, Alice | Douin, Martial | Feugnet, Simon | Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR CBGP) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier ; Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM) | European Association of Acarologists (EURAAC)
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Show more [+] Less [-]English. Recent studies have shown Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki’s ability to feed on pest mites on tomatoes and its potential introduction into crops via two banker plants (Mentha suaveolens and Phlomis fruticosa). The aim of this project was to assess predator dispersal from banker to tomato plants. Choice experiments were carried out in the lab, exposing predatory females to Typha angustifolia pollen vs Aculops lycopersici or Tetranychus urticae, using leaf disks of M. suaveolens, P. fruticosa and Solanum nigrum. After 5 days, predator position, number of eggs laid and the number of T. urticae eggs consumed were assessed. When comparing predator feeding preferences between pollen and A. lycopersici or T. urticae, a higher abundance of predators and their eggs were observed on disks with prey. However, this was not the case with P. fruticosa, where higher predator densities were reported on leaf disks with pollen. In the choice tests, predators consumed a higher percentage of T. urticae eggs when offered A. lycopersici than when offered pollen. Regarding banker plant preference, predators seem to prefer M. suaveolens over P. fruticosa. Predator dispersal seems to be positively influenced by the offered prey; however, dispersal from P. fruticosa to S. nigrum seems less effective, as predators preferred pollen and stayed on this plant rather than moving to the infested S. nigrum. Thus, Mentha suaveolens would be a better bank plant, but further experiments are needed to characterize the predator’s development on this latter plant in greenhouse conditions.
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