two spotted spider mite

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a major cosmopolitan pest that feeds on more than 1,100 plant species. Its genome contains an unprecedentedly large number of genes involved in detoxifying and transporting xenobiotics, including 80 genes that code for uridine diphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferases (UGTs). These enzymes were acquired via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria after loss in the Chelicerata lineage. UGTs are well-known for their role in phase II metabolism, however, their contribution to host adaptation and acaricide resistance in arthropods, such as T...

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), the two-spotted spider mite, is a pest that limits strawberry production in Mexico. Little is known about the interactions that occur between T. urticae and healthy strawberry plants or strawberry plants infested by conspecific spider mites. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the attraction of T. urticae to healthy strawberry plants mediated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and to plants damaged by conspecifics mediated by herbivore-induce plant volatiles (HIPVs)...

BACKGROUND: Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a polyphagous and damaging pest, presenting several resistant populations worldwide. Among new and more environmentally friendly control tools, botanical pesticides represent a valuable alternative to synthetic ones within IPM strategies. Accordingly, we investigated on the lethal and sub-lethal effects of the polyacetylene carlina oxide isolated from Carlina acaulis (Asteraceae) on T. urticae and on its natural enemy, the predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor)...

The aim of this research was to examine how particulate matter (PM) pollution affects the life history of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae), in modelled urban conditions. For this purpose, experimental populations of TSSM were cultured on the foliage of small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) contaminated with PM at intensities corresponding to differing city zones such as a park, a busy road and an industrial area. The control samples in the study were washed, unpolluted leaves...

In many animals, males increase their reproductive success by mating with as many females as possible. The number of females a male can fertilize is often limited by male competition for access to females, sperm competition, and the cost of sperm production. Especially, recent studies have shown that sperm production is more costly than previously expected. In the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, the number of females a male can inseminate is limited mainly by male competition for access to females...

Tetranychus urticae is an important pest worldwide. The auto-dissemination of spores of entomopathogenic fungi from an infected individual to conspecifics may be important for controlling pests that can build high populations. The current study was carried out to determine the auto-dissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps fumosorosea strain PFs-1 (Priority®) between T. urticae females. The study consisted of four experiments. First, the efficacy of entomopathogenic fungus bioassays was assessed in Petri dishes (experiment 1) and on potted bean plants (experiment 2)...

Research in recent years has shown that some species of predatory mites, considered to be typically associated with soil and litter, can also be found on plants. Such species include Blattisocius mali , which is an effective predator of acarid mites, nematodes and the eggs of moths and which can disperse by means of drosophilid fruit flies. Apart from soil and litter or storage, it has also been recorded on the bark of apple trees and the leaves of strawberries, thus suggesting its possible predation of/feeding on herbivorous mites and insects...

The rapid evolution of pest resistance threatens the sustainable utilization of bioinsecticides such as abamectin, and so deciphering the molecular mechanisms affecting toxicity and resistance is essential for their long-term application. Historical studies of abamectin resistance in arthropods have mainly focused on mechanisms involving the glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) targets, with the role of metabolic processes less clear. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a generalist herbivore notorious for rapidly developing resistance to pesticides worldwide, and abamectin has been widely used for its control in the field...

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, has a broad host plant range and presents an extreme capacity for developing pesticide resistance, becoming a major economic pest in agriculture. Anticholinesterase insecticides still account for a big part of global insecticide sales. However, there is a growing concern about the serious resistance problems of anticholinesterase insecticides and their nontarget toxicity. In this study, structure-based virtual screening was performed to discover selective AChE inhibitors from the ChemBridge database, and 39 potential species-specific AChE inhibitor were obtained targeting T...

Of the many arthropod species affecting hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation in the United States, one species of particular importance is the hemp russet mite (Aculops cannabicola, HRM). Hemp russet mite is a microscopic arthropod which feeds on all parts of hemp plants. Due to its minute size, HRM can proliferate undetected for a long time, complicating management efforts and causing serious economic losses. DNA sequencing and PCR assays can facilitate accurate identification and early detection of HRM in infested-plants...

Diversification of cultivation systems plays a critical role in ecosystem functions such as pest control, diversity of beneficial arthropods, and soil fertility. Repellent plants (releasing volatile organic compounds as arthropod repellents and providing alternative prey for natural enemies) may be used in an intercropping system for pest control; however, little is known concerning their relative priority. In this study, the impact of intercropping eggplant (E) (Solanum melongena L.) and garlic (G) (Allium sativum L...

Composite generalist herbivores are comprised of host-adapted populations that retain the ability to shift hosts. The degree and overlap of mechanisms used by host-adapted generalist and specialist herbivores to overcome the same host plant defences are largely unknown. Tetranychidae mites are exceptionally suited to address the relationship between host-adaptation and specialization in herbivores as this group harbours closely related species with remarkably different host ranges - an extreme generalist the two spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch, Tu) and the Solanaceous specialist Tetranychus evansi (Te)...

BACKGROUND: In Spain, citrus pruning is usually done by hand, although mechanized pruning is gradually being introduced as a cheaper alternative. The pruning strategy affects the pattern and intensity of sprouting, and the canopy characteristics, and therefore could affect pest control. In this study, the effect of three pruning strategies on the incidence of key citrus pests was analysed: manual, mechanized (with hedging and topping) and no pruning. In a commercial clementine orchard, sprouting, pest density and fruit damage were evaluated along three seasons...

The predatory mites Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes) and the predatory thrips Scolothrips takahashii (Priesner) are known as potential biocontrol agents for the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch). These two predator species occur simultaneously on crops in agricultural ecosystems and are proved to be involved in life-stage specific intraguild predation. The intraguild prey may play a role in securing the persistence of the intraguild predators during food shortage periods. To understand the potential of intraguild prey as food source for intraguild predators in the N...

Spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) are dangerous pests of agricultural and ornamental crops, the most economically significant of them belonging to the genera Tetranychus, Eutetranychus, Oligonychus and Panonychus. The expansion of the distribution areas, the increased harmfulness and dangerous status of certain species in the family Tetranychidae and their invasion of new regions pose a serious threat to the phytosanitary status of agro- and biocenoses. Various approaches to acarofauna species diagnosis determine a rather diverse range of currently existing methods generally described in this review...

Entomopathogenic fungi have been well exploited as biocontrol agents that can kill insects through direct contact. However, recent research has shown that they can also play an important role as plant endophytes, stimulating plant growth, and indirectly suppressing pest populations. In this study, we examined the indirect, plant-mediated, effects of a strain of entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium brunneum on plant growth and population growth of two-spotted spider mites ( Tetranychus urticae ) in tomato, using different inoculation methods (seed treatment, soil drenching and a combination of both)...

Plant-induced resistance can be an important component of soybean mites biological control programs. This work evaluates the preference of predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to soybean plants under single and multiple herbivory conditions by two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), and velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Using a Y olfactometer, the following scenarios were evaluated: soybean with no infestation and soybean infested with A...

Pesticide resistance represents a clear and trackable case of adaptive evolution with a strong societal impact. Understanding the factors associated with the evolution and spread of resistance is imperative to develop sustainable crop management strategies. The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae, a major crop pest with worldwide distribution and a polyphagous lifestyle, has evolved resistance to most classes of pesticides. Tetranychus urticae exists as either a green- or a red-coloured morph. However, the extent of genetic divergence and reproductive compatibility vary across populations of these colour morphs, complicating their taxonomic resolution at the species level...

Two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a phytophagous haplodiploid mite and its control is largely based on the use of pesticides. But, the short life cycle and high reproductive rate allow them to develop resistance to many pesticides. To design a strategy for resistance management, a fitness cost study was conducted on different populations of T. urticae, i.e., spiromesifen selected (SPIRO-SEL), unselected (Unsel), and reciprocal crosses. After twelve rounds of selections, T...

The thermal history of arthropod predators and their prey may affect their reproductive performance during heat waves. Thus, a matching juvenile and adult environment should be beneficial as it enables the individuals to acclimate to extreme conditions. Prey fecundity, however, is also affected by a second stressor, namely predation risk. Here, we assessed the impact of extreme and mild heat waves on the reproductive output of acclimated (juvenile and adult heat wave conditions are matching) and non-acclimated females of the biocontrol agent Phytoseiulus persimilis , a predatory mite, and its herbivorous prey, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae, on bean leaves...