COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF PESTICIDES AND SOME PREDATORS TO CONTROL SPIDER MITES: I-TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SOME ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE CHEMICALS AGAINST THE TWO SPOTTED SPIDER MITE, Tetranychus urticae AND THEIR PREDATORS Amblyseius gossipi, Phytoseiulus macropili AND Stethorus gilvifrons

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Pesticides Dept., Fac. Agric., Kafr El-Shiekh Univ.

Abstract

In the present study was carried out to evaluate the toxic effect of six compounds of different mode of actions, three are known as acaricides (abamectin , ethion and chlorfenapyr), one pyrethroid (cyhalothrin), one mineral oil(Nat- 1) and one plant extract (Allium sativum) against the eggs and adult females of the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae and adult females of their predators Amblyseius gossipi, Phytoseiulus macropilis and Stethorus gilvifrons using leaf- disc dip technique.The results indicated that Abamectin has a special  position in mite chemical control or in integrated mite  management  because  of  its  high  toxic  effect  and  it`s high toxicity index  among  different  mite  control  agents. A.sativum extract was the least toxic compound to adult female T.urticae. Abamectin and cyhalothrin have a special effect on eggs of T.urticae and considered the best compounds that have a special importance in integrated mite management.The mineral oil Nat-1 was more toxic to egg stage of T.urticae than A. sativum extract. Nat-1 and  A.sativum extract were the most safe compounds to the adults of predatory mites A.gossipi and P.macropilis and the  predatory insect S.gilvifrons. Chlorfenapyr has the highest selectivity index and highest selectivity ratio in spite of its low safety values, so it can be recommended in IPM programs. Cyhalothrin,ethion, Nat-1 and  A.sativum  were the   next  compounds   after chlorfenapyr in  their  selectivity  ratio  values ,  but  Nat-1  has  a special  position  and considered a promising  oil  in  mite  control programs. Abamectin  has  the  least  values  of  selectivity index  and  selectivity ratio and  it's  low  safety  index  make  us  to  keep  it  in  mined  under  certain conditions (in case of rare predators with high level of phytophagous mites).