Biodiversity of mites in mango orchards (Mangifera indica L.) and evaluation of some mineral and essential oils against Cisaberoptus kenyae Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) management

Abstract

Seasonal abundance of phytophagous, predacious, miscellaneous and soil mites associated with mango orchards were investigated in the Giza governorate. Samples were taken from five mango orchards with different cultivars during four seasons through the year 2020–2021. Different parts of the mango trees such as leaves, raceme, buds as well as underneath the trees were sampled at fortnightly intervals. In total, 17 species representing 16 genera and 12 families with different feeding habits were collected and identified during the study. The relationship between predacious and plant feeding mites in this agriculture eco-system was discussed. Family Phytoseiidae represented the largest diversity of mites reported herein, with four species records. We anticipate that the results reported in the current study may encourage the establishment of control programs for plant-feeding mites using phytoseiid mites. Different oils and pesticides and their combinations were used to control the eriophyid mite, Cisaberoptus kenyae Keifer on mango leaves “Ewais” cultivar. The lethal concentrations were 2, 1, and 0.5%. The results showed that the most effective compound was mineral oil and spirodiclofen and the essential oil, Thymus vulgaris L. This is the first reported study demonstrating the control of C. kenyae using combinations of different oils, and a pesticide on mango leaves. These results can be used in future biological pest control programs.