DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR MASS REARING OF NEOSEIULUS BARAKI, A MITE PREDATORY ON THE COCONUT MITE, ACERIA GUERRERONIS

Abstract

Studies in Sri Lanka revealed that Neoseiulus baraki Athias-Henriot (Acari:Phytoseiidae) (previously referred to as Neoseiulus aff. paspalivorus) is aprospective biological control agent of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronisKeifer (Acari: Eriophyidae). Mass rearing of the predatory mite, N. barakiwas proposed to augment the field population. Laboratory studies wereconducted to determine an alternative prey for N. baraki, a food source forrearing of the alternative prey and a suitable arena for rearing of thepredatory mite and the alternative prey. N. baraki developed and multipliedsatisfactorily on the storage mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae Shrank (Acari:Ascidae). The predatory mite when fed on T. putrescentiae developed fromegg to adult in 11.1 ±0.1 days and deposited 26.4±2.2 eggs during a life-timeof 70.0±1.8 days. T. putrescentiae multiplied equally well on pollen of Typhasp. and rice bran. The fecundity of T. putrescentiae was 163.5±23.4 eggs onTypha pollen and 143.7±9.7 eggs on rice bran. But the daily oviposition ratewas higher on rice bran. The predatory mite and its alternative prey could bebred in the same arena, which is a modification of the basic arena describedby McMurtry & Scriven (1965). A closed arena without a water barrier wasthe most suitable rearing system to obtain a higher number of predatorymites. In this arena a single female predatory mite gave rise to 24 motilestages and eggs in three weeks. Advantages and disadvantages of therearing method are discussed.