Title of Dissertation: MECHANISMS UNDERLYING OUTBREAKS OF SPIDER MITES FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS OF IMIDACLOPRID. Adrianna Szczepaniec, Ph.D., 2009 Directed By: Professor Michael J. Raupp, Department of Entomology Imidacloprid is a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide with high efficacy and long residual activity, and it is frequently applied to manage insect pests in urban landscapes. Recent rep...

We studied developmental plasticity under food stress in three female-biased size dimorphic predatory mite species, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus, and Amblyseius andersoni. All three species prey on two-spotted spider mites but differ in the degree of adaptation to this prey. Phytoseiulus persimilis is a specialized spider mite predator, N. californicus is a generalist with a...

Agriculture is the most important economic activity around world with its contributions reflected by share in gross domestic product of countries. It ensures food security, provides raw materials for many industries and employment opportunities. Today, pest diseases are among main challenges plaguing agricultural sector. More specifically, phytophagous mites devastating economically crops world...

Fourteen U.S plant introduction (PI) accessions of C. lanatus var. lanatus (4), C. lanatus var. citroides (5) C. colocynthis (5) and a known susceptible commercial cultivar 'Sugar Baby' were evaluated for resistance to the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, in a limited free-choice and free-choice bioassay under laboratory conditions. The limited free choice bioassay, involved ni...

ABSTRACT Silicon is an inducer of plant resistance to arthropod pests, being a promising strategy for integrated management. The aim this study was evaluate the effect silicon on biological, reproductive and population aspects parental F1 generations two-spotted spider mite strawberry plants. Potassium silicate, nanosilica water were applied Two-spotted females confined leaf disks oviposition a...

Research on aboveground-belowground interactions has recently experienced a boost. In spite of the relative prosperity of scientific literature featuring aboveground herbivorous arthropods involved in abovegroundbelowground interactions, mites have so far been under-represented. To stimulate work with mites in this area, we summarize existing research on plant-mediated interactions of abovegrou...