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Effect of temperature on life table parameters and the efficacy of Feltiella acarisuga releases against Tetranychus urticae on cucumber crop in greenhouses

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study evaluated the developmental biology, predatory performance, and field control efficacy of Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) as a biocontrol agent against Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae) at different constant temperatures. Laboratory study results indicated that the duration of egg-to-egg development decreased significantly with an increase of temperature, ranging from 29.3 days at 15°C to 10.7 days at 30°C for both females and males. Female reproductive performance was the highest at 25 °C with fecundity reaching 36.2 eggs per female and a balance between development and reproduction was observed. Life table parameters supported the optimum temperature of 25°C for the highest net reproductive rate and population growth potential. Strong temperature-dependent developmental rates were found through linear regression analysis (R² = 0.93 – 0.99), with growth developmental thresholds below 7.2–8.4°C. Predation by T. urticae larvae increased significantly with increasing temperature with third-instars larvae consuming a maximum total prey count of 159.8 at 30°C. In field experiments, the release of F. acarisuga larvae significantly reduced mite infestations on cucumber plants with the highest control efficacy (98.3% reduction) associated with a release rate of 30 larvae/plant. These results suggest that the cucumber predator, F. acarisuga may be a promising option for biological mite control especially in warm season, and make sex pheromone-based mass rearing and field control techniques more practical in cucumber mite, T. urticae control programs, including integrated pest management (IPM).
DOI: 10.21608/ajesa.2025.470028
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417236624
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