Preliminary communication
Predation of Neozygites tanajoae-infected cassava green mites by the predatory mite, Typhlodromalus aripo (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
2007, 72 (2) p. 169-172
Serge L. Ariori, Surendra K. Dara
Abstract
Typhlodromalus aripo is the most successful of the Neotropical predatory mites released for the classical biological control of the cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa, in Africa. A few isolates of the entomopthoralean fungus, Neozygites tanajoae, which causes epizootics in M. tanajoa populations in Brazil, were imported to be released in Africa for the control of M. tanajoa. The present study evaluated the feeding preference of T. aripo for M. tanajoa infected by N. tanajoae in a preliminary attempt to determine the interaction between the two biological control agents. The feeding preferences of normal and starved, for 24 and 48 h, T. aripo for the healthy M. tanajoa and for those exposed to N. tanajoe were compared in choice and no choice tests. In general, T. aripo consumed significant quantities of infected M. tanajoa along with the healthy ones. Although, they appeared to have a slight preference for healthy M. tanajoa, significant difference (P < 0.05) was seen only in a no choice test when the predators that were starved for 24 h were used. The consumption of pathogen-infected pest mites by the predatory mites can reduce the effectiveness of the microbial control agent.
Keywords
Mononychellus tanajoa, cassava, fungal pathogen, feeding preference
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