22 Ara 2024 Pazar
Host plant affects the predation and oviposition rate of the predaceous thrips of spider mites, Scolothrips longicornis
Abstract :On the basis of controlling spider mites as a serious pest in four greenhouse vegetables, some experiments were conducted to measure the interaction between the biological control agent, Scolothrips longicornis Priesner, and host plant species. The predation and oviposition rates of the predator were monitored as two indices of the predator fitness on the host plants. It was hypothesized that plant chlorophyll content and leaf surface quality can affect this biocontrol agent. The results showed that plant leaf tissue affected the oviposition rate of the predator. As the highest oviposition rate was seen on eggplant (9.70±1.03 larvae) and the lowest belonged to sweet pepper (3.70±0.85 larvae). Predation mean was affected by host plant, also; the result was somehow different, as the highest predation mean was recorded for tomato (6.10±0.88 unfed mite/plant) and sweet pepper was not favorable for prey searching, either. In addition, the chlorophyll content of the host plant could indirectly affect the predator via prey feeding; however, the results indicated the final decisions of predator are related to more than one factor in host plant and prey
Preference, oviposition, predation, Scolothrips longicornis, host plant