Neoseiulus Californicus (Mcgregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in the UK, and Its Potential As a Biocontrol Agent of Panonychus Ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae)
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The status of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in the UK, and its potential as a biocontrol agent of Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) by Rebecca Louise Jolly A thesis submitted to The University of Bimingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Entomology & Plant Pathology Department School of Biosciences Horticulture Research International The University of BirminghatTI East MaIling, Kent February 2001 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT The non-native predatory phytoseiid mite Neoseiulus californicus has been found in recent years in UK apple orchards. The aims of this study were to determine whether this mite could establish in the UK and its potential as a biocontrol agent for Panonychus ulmi. By reviewing the literature and examining specimens of N californicus. it was concluded that taxonomic synonymies with Amblyseius californicus. Amblyseius chilenensis and Typhlodromus mungeri could be supported, but those with Typhlodromus marin us and Neoseiulus fallacis could not. Neoseiulus californicus was found in strawberry, hop, blackcurrant and apple plantations in the main fruit growing regions of the UK. Field and laboratory studies showed that N californicus possesses the ability to diapause, is a chill tolerant species and can survive winter field conditions in the UK. Neoseiulus californicus was found to readily consume both Panonychus ulmi and Tetranychus urticae and consumed greater numbers of prey than the native phytoseiid Typhlodromus pyri. Deutonymphs consumed an average of 1.8 and 1.6 immature P. ulmi stages per day respectively and an average of 2.6 and 1.4 T urticae respectively. The total mean development time for N. californicus was 7.47 days and for T pyri was 12.45, feeding on P. ulmi. Neoseiulus californicus from USA, Spain and UK displayed differences in measurements of a selection of morphological characteristics, diapause ability (16, 0 and 960/0 diapause respectively), development times (shortest for USA and longest for UK), fecundity (0.82-0.97 eggs per day) and esterase banding patterns, indicating the existence of different detectable strains. In conclusion, N. cal(fornicus was found to be a component of fruit plantation fauna in the UK, has the potential to survive winter field conditions and readily consumes P. ulmi and T urticae. .- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank especially Dr Mike Solomon and Dr Jean Fitzgerald, my supervisors at Horticulture Research International, for their encouragement and advice with the work for this thesis. Thanks are also due to Prof. Jeff Bale, my supervisor at Birmingham University. To Pete Squires and Wilma Reerink, Koppert Ltd, for providing N. californicus in swift response to my requests for them. Thank you to Dick Simpson for acting as courier for some American N. californicus. Dr Roger Worland, BAS, for allowing me to spend several days using the DSC. Shelagh Reardon, Wye College, for allowing me time on the SEM. Dr. Colin Campbell for statistics advice and John Fenlon for some statistical analyses. Penny Greeves for graphics assistance. In addition, I would like to thank James Everett for writing an Excel Macro that facilitated the extraction of development rates from my data and Alex Dowdeswell for helping check my references and proof reading. Thanks too to Alex, Lucy Collinson and my family for their support. This work was funded by the East MaIling Trust for Horticultural Research (Blackman Studentship ). T ABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.1.1 Biological characteristics ofN californicus 1 1.1.2 Effect ofprey type on the biology ofN californicus 4 1.1.3 Effect ofpesticides on N. californicus 6 1.1.3.1 Acaricides 6 1.1.3.2 Insecticides 7 1.1.3.3 Fungicides 9 1.1.4 The potential role ofN californicus as a biocontrol agent ofP. ulmi 14 CHAPTER 2: TAXONOMY 16 2.1 Introduction 16 2.2 Review of the taxonomic history of N. californicus 18 2.2.1 Typhlodromus mungeri 18 2.2.2 Typhlodromus californicus 19 2.2.3 Neoseiulus californicus & Neoseiulus chilenensis 20 2.2.4 Neoseiulus californicus & Neoseiulus fallacis 21 2.3 Drawings of N. californicus 25 2.3.1 Materials and Methods 25 2.3.2 Results 25 2.4 The effect of preparation on spermatheca shape 31 2.4.1 Materials and Methods 31 2.4.2 Results 31 2.5 Measurements of morphological characteristics 33 2.5.1 Materials and Methods 33 2.5.2 Results 34 2.6 SEM study of chelicerae 34 2.6.1 Materials and Methods 34 2.6.2 Results 36 2.7 Discussion 41 CHAPTER 3: OCCURRENCE OF N. CALIFORNICUSWORLWIDE AND IN THE UK 45 3.1 The worldwide occurrence of N. californicus: a literature review 45 3.1.1 Early records 45 3.1.2 Europe 45 3.1.3 South America 46 3.1.,/ Afi'ica & Asia 47-, 3.2 Occurrence of N. californicus in the UK )..:.. 3.2.1 Introduction 52 3.2.2 Materials and methods 52 3.2.3 Results 53 3.3 Discussion 57 CHAPTER 4: WINTER SURVIVAL 61 4.1 Introduction 61 4.2 Ability to diapause 64 -1.2.1 Materials and methods 65 -1.2.2 Results 65 4.2.3 Discussion 66 4.3 Low temperature survival 68 4.3.1 Introduction 68 4.3.2 Supercooling point 69 4.3.2.1 Materials and methods 69 4.3.2.2 Results 71 4.3.3 Lethal Temperature 71 -1.3.3.1 Materials and methods 71 4.3.3.2 Results 72 4.3.4 Lethal Time 72 4.3.4.1 Materials and methods 72 4.3.4.2 Results 73 4.3.5 Discussion 74 4.4 Field collections 78 4.4.1 Optimising the Tullgren funnel mite-extraction technique 78 -I. -1.1.1 Materials and methods 78 4.4.1.2 Results 81 4.4.1.2.1 Hop 81 -I. -1.1.2.2 Apple 82 4.4.2 Overwintering of N. californicus in apple, hop and blackcurrant plantations 83 4.4.2.1 Materials and methods 83 -1.4.2.1.1 Hop 83 -1.4.2.1. 2 Apple 86 -1.4.2.1.3 Blackcurrant 86 4. 4.2.2 Results 89 4.4.2.2.1 What mites were found overwintering? 89 -1.-1.2.2.1.1 Hop 89 4.4.2.2.1.2 Apple 92 4.4.2.2.1.3 Blackcurrant 93 4.4.2.2.2 Is there any effect of band type, variety or plot on the numbers of mites overwintering within? 96 4.4.2.2.2.1 Hop 96 4.4.2.2.2.2 Apple 97 -I. -I. 2. 2. 2. 3 Blackcurrant 97 4.4.2.2.3 Is there an effect of band size on numbers of mites overwintering within? 98 4.4.2.2.4 Were any other beneficial arthropods found sheltering in the overwintering bands? 98 4.4.2.2.5 What was the internal and external temperature difference ill the overwintering bands? 100 -I. -I. 2.2.5.1 Hop 100 -I. -I. 2. 2. 5.2 Blackcurrant 102 4.4.3 Discussion 102 4.5 Overall Discussion 10-+ CHAPTER 5: POTENTIAL AS A BIOCONTROL AGENT 105 5.1 Introduction 105 5.2 the potential of N. californicus as a biocontrol agent: a literature review 108 5.2.1 Tetranychus urticae 108 5.2.2 Panonychus sp. 111 5.2.3 Oligonychus sp. 111 5.2.4 Polyphagotarsonemus latus 112 5.2.5 Phytonemus pallidus 112 5.2.6 Frankinella occidentalis 113 5.3 Rearing methods 113 5.3.1 Culturing N californicus and T pyri 113 5.3.2 Culture plate adapted for studying individual mites 115 5.3.3 Culturing T urticae and P. ulmi 115 5.4 Consumption rates of N. californicus and T. pyri, feeding on T. urticae and P. ulmi 116 5.4.1 Materials and methods 116 5.4.2 Results 11 7 5.5 Developmental rates of N. californicus and T. pyri, feeding on T. urticae and P. ulmi 118 5.5.1 Materials and methods 118 5.5.2 Results 119 5.6 Fecundity of N. californicus and T. pyri, feeding on T. urticae and P. ulmi 122 5.6.1 Materials and methods 122 5.6.2 Results 123 5.7 Discussion 123 CHAPTER 6: STRAIN DIFFERENCES 128 6.1 Introduction 128 6.2 Cross-mating experiment 128 6. 2.1 Materials and methods 128 6. 2. 2 Results 129 6.3 Measurements of morphological characteristics 130 6.3.1 Materials and methods 130 6. 3. 2 Results 130 6.4 Developmental rates 134 6.4.1 Materials and methods 134 6.4.2 Results 135 6.5 Fecundity 136 6.5.1 Materials and methods 136 6.5.2 Results 136 6.6 Electrophoresis technique for distinguishing strain differences 137 6.6.1 Materials and methods 137 6.6.2 Results 138 6.7 Discussion 1-1-0 CHAPTER 7: FINAL DISCUSSION 1-1-5 Appendices I Polyvinyl alcohol mountant 151 Dehydration of mites for SEM II Example of a supercooling point trace obtained from the Mettler Toledo DSC820, evaluated by STARe software (v6.1) III Figure 11.1 Hop plot (DR149, HRI East MaIling), 1998-1999.