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Title: SHORT-DISTANCE PREY LOCATION BY NEOSEIULUS CALIFORNICUS(MCGREGOR)(ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE): THE ROLE OF THE ALLELOCHEMICALS FROM TWO PHYTOPHAGOUS MITES, PANONYCHUS ULMI (KOCH) AND TETRANYCHUS URTICAE KOCH (ACARI: TETRANYCHIDAE),

Author
item COLLIER, K - UENF, CAMPOS, BRAZIL
item EIRAS, A - UFMG,BELO HORIZONTE,BRAZI
item ALBUQUERQUE, G - UENF,CAMPOS, BRAZIL
item BLACKMER, JACQUELYN
item ARAUJO, M - UENF, CAMPOS, BRAZIL
item MONTEIRO, L - UFP, CURITIBA,BRAZIL

Submitted to: Anais Da Sociedade Entomogica Do Brazil
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2000
Publication Date: 12/1/2000
Citation: COLLIER, K.F., EIRAS, A.E., ALBUQUERQUE, G.S., BLACKMER, J.L., ARAUJO, M.C., MONTEIRO, L.B. SHORT-DISTANCE PREY LOCATION BY NEOSEIULUS CALIFORNICUS(MCGREGOR)(ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE): THE ROLE OF THE ALLELOCHEMICALS FROM TWO PHYTOPHAGOUS MITES, PANONYCHUS ULMI (KOCH) AND TETRANYCHUS URTICAE KOCH (ACARI: TETRANYCHIDAE),. ANAIS DA SOCIEDADE ENTOMOGICA DO BRAZIL. 2000.

Interpretive Summary: To understand how a predaceous mite locates its prey, two phytophagous mites (European red mite or the two-spotted spider mite), we studied its short-distance response to odors associated with the host plant singly or in combination with odors associated with the phytophagous mites. A Y-shaped runway was used to study these behaviors. We observed the predator's searching behavior on the runway and analyzed its percentage of response to a variety of host-prey combinations. Our results indicated that the volatiles associated with phytophagous mites, their byproducts, and the host plant, either separately or in combination, play an important role in short-distance location of the two-spotted spider mite by the predaceous mite. On the other hand, only a combination of two or more of these stimuli appeared to signal the location of nearby colonies of the European red mite to the predaceous mite, especially when the kairomones from their feces, eggs, and exuvia were included in such a blend.

Technical Abstract: To understand how Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) locates its prey, i.e. Panonychus ulmi (Koch) and Tetranychus urticae Koch, we studied the predator's short-distance responses to the volatile allelochemicals associated with these two phytophagous mites and their host plant, Malus domestica (Borkham). At the end of one branch of a Y-shape runway we placed an uninfested apple leaf disk (=control) and, at the other end, one of the eight following types of stimulus (=treatments): 1) uninfested leaf, 2) uninfested leaf + prey, 3) uninfested leaf + prey kairomones, 4) uninfested leaf + prey + prey kairomones, 5) infested leaf, 6) infested leaf + prey, 7) infested leaf + prey kairomones, and 8) infested leaf + prey + prey kairomones. We observed the predator's searching behavior on the runway and analyzed its percentage of response to each of the above stimuli. When P. ulmi was tested, significantly more predators went to the end of the branch with uninfested leaves and prey with its kairomones (T4), infested leaves and prey kairomones (T7), and uninfested leaves and prey with its kairomones (T8). In relation to T. urticae, the predaceous mite showed significant responses to uninfested leaves with prey kairomones (T3) and to uninfested leaves and prey with its kairomones (T4), as well as to all infested leaf combinations (T5-8). These results indicate that the volatiles associated with the phytophagous mites, their byproducts, and the host plant, either separately or combined, play an important role on the short-distance location of T. urticae by N. californicus. On the other hand, only a combination of two or more of those stimuli appear to signal the location of nearby colonies of P. ulmi to the predaceous mite, especially when the kairomones from their feces, eggs, and exuvia are included in such a blend.