title: Potential of Five Brazilian Populations of Phytoseiidae (Acari) for the Biological Control of Bemisia tabaci (Insecta: Hemiptera).
abstract: Biotype B of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), causes considerable losses to growers worldwide. Phytoseiid mites have been successfully used for the control of this pest in several countries. The Brazilian phytoseiid fauna is very diverse and potentially useful for this purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate five Brazilian populations of phytoseiids as candidates for the control of the whitefly, a serious pest of different crops worldwide. Evaluated species were Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman & McGregor), Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant), Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Amblyseius tamatavensis (Blommers), and Neoseiulus tunus (De Leon), which are found naturally in Brazil and elsewhere. The work was conducted at 28±1°C, 75±10% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 12:12 (L:D) h. All evaluated phytoseiids preyed on eggs of B. tabaci, with the highest levels of predation recorded for Am. herbicolus and N. tunus, and highest level of oviposition recorded for Am. tamatavensis. The results show the Brazilian populations of those three species to be promising as control agents of B. tabaci. Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau) (Acari: Acaridae) was found to be a suitable prey for the mass production of those predators. Complementary studies are considered justified, given the positive results of this study.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" /Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, CEP: 13418-900. anacris.cavalcante@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Cerqueira
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" /Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, CEP: 13418-900.
authors.forename: Victor Lucas Vicente
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" /Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, CEP: 13418-900.
authors.forename: Letícia Caroline
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" /Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, CEP: 13418-900. CNPq Researcher.
authors.forename: Gilberto José
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: de Moraes
mesh_terms: D000053:Acari; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D006430:Hemiptera; D010572:Pest Control, Biological
keywords: biological control; biology; predator; silverleaf whitefly