Abstract

Herbivores' host plant resistance may also affect performance of their predators. The effect of susceptible ('Yellow') and resistant ('Roulette') rose cultivars on demographic parameters of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch and its predators Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was determined under laboratory conditions. The obtained data were analyzed using the two-sex life table theory. The development rate of different life stages of TSSM and its predators on the susceptible and resistant rose cultivars were significantly different. Total development time of juvenile stages of TSSM and A. swirskii on the resistant cultivar was longer than that on the susceptible one, although no significant differences were obtained in the case of P. persimilis. By using the two-sex life table, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) of TSSM on the susceptible and resistant cultivars was 0.205 and 0.143 day-1, respectively. In addition, the net reproductive rate (R0) of TSSM on the susceptible and resistant cultivars was 26.46 and 11.47 eggs per individual, respectively; however, the mean generation time (T) of TSSM on these cultivars was 15.92 and 16.92 days, respectively. Furthermore, the value of the intrinsic rate of increase (r) in P. persimilis on the susceptible and resistant cultivars was 0.217 versus 0.163 day-1as well as in A. swirskii on the mentioned cultivars was 0.147 versus 0.117 day-1, respectively. There was no significant difference between the values of the net reproductive rate (R0) in P. persimilis on the susceptible and resistant rose cultivars, but in A. swirskii the value of this parameter on the susceptible cultivar was significantly higher than that on the resistant one. The mean generation time (T) in both predators on the resistant cultivar was longer than the susceptible one. In conclusion, resistance of the rose cultivar negatively affected the population growth parameters of TSSM and its both predators.