Co-Authors:
Palevsky, E., Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, POB 6, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
Soroker, V., Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, POB 6, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
Weintraub, P., Gilat Research Station, Agricultural Research Organization, Mobile Post Negev, 85280, Israel
Mansour, F., Newe ya'Ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, POB 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Abo-Moch, F., Newe ya'Ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, POB 1021, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Gerson, U., Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Abstract:
Broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is a serious plant pest in tropical and subtropical regions. Phoretic associations between broad mite and two genera of whiteflies (Insecta: Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), namely Bemisia and Trialeurodes, have been reported from different parts of the world. Our purpose was to determine the specificity of the association between the mite and its phoretic hosts. Two host plants, potatoes and cucumbers, were used to study these relationships in the laboratory. Insects frozen for 24 h were used as potential phoretic hosts in all experiments. Attachment levels were monitored by counting the number of mites attached to each insect. All tests were conducted for 4-6 h, as attachment to Bemisia tabaci on potato shoots leveled off after 4 h, increasing only marginally after 8 h. Attachment levels to thrips (the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis) and to allate aphids (Myzus persicae) was negligible relative to the attachment to B. tabaci. Broad mite also attached to the whiteflies Dialeurodes citri, Aleyrodes singularis and Trialeurodes lauri, the latter being the least attractive species (including B. tabaci). Washing B. tabaci with pentane greatly reduced attachment. Using cucumbers as hosts did not substantially change the general trend, but attachment levels were lower. The phoretic relationship between broad mite and its insect hosts appears to be specific to whiteflies, with some whiteflies having a higher potential as phoretic hosts.