title: Life table and predation of Neoseiulus longispinosus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Oligonychus coffeae (Acari: Tetranychidae) infesting tea.
abstract: Life table and predation of the predatory mite Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) on the red spider mite (RSM), Oligonychus coffeae (Nietner), a major pest of tea in India, were studied in the laboratory. Developmental time from egg to adult varied from 4 to 14 days at 30 to 15 °C, respectively; at 35 °C no larva survived. Survival of immature stages was more than 94 % at all temperatures. Threshold temperature for development of immature stages of females and males was 10 and 9.9 °C, respectively, and thermal constant was 84.03 degree-days for females and 80 for males. Sex ratio was female biased and temperature (20-30 °C) had no clear effect on sex determination. Egg hatchability was 73 % at 35 °C and >97 % at lower temperatures. Average number of eggs laid per female/day was higher at 30 °C than at 20 or 25 °C. The highest net reproductive rate (R 0) was 40.7, at 20 °C. Mean generation time (T) decreased from 28 to 13 days with temperature increasing from 20 to 30 °C. Weekly multiplication (6.5) and intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m ) (0.268) were highest at 30 °C. Males lived longer than females at every temperature tested. Longevity was highest at 20 °C (50 days for females and 55 for males). Survival and longevity were adversely affected by temperature above 30 °C. Daily consumption of prey increased with the advancement of predator's life stages; adult females consumed the highest numbers of prey items, preferably larvae and nymphs.
authors.affiliation: Entomology Division, UPASI Tea Research Foundation Tea Research Institute, Nirar Dam (BPO), Valparai, Coimbatore District, 642127, Tamil Nadu, India. jasinrahman@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vattakandy Jasin
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Azariah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: Amsalingam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roobakkumar
authors.forename: Kandasamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perumalsamy
mesh_terms: D000053:Acari / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors