Capacidad de depredación de Typhlodromalus sp. y Stigmaeus sp. sobre diferentes estados de desarrollo de Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) en fresa”

Abstract

The strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) is one of the best tasting and most consumed fruits worldwide. In Ecuador, production has begun in the provinces of Pichincha, Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and others. Strawberry production is affected by several pests, such as thrips, aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies and mites, which attack the crop throughout the year. The mite Zetranychus urticae is considered one of the phytophagous mites worldwide, it causes severe damage in a short time and its reproduction is accelerated, resulting in the decline of large populations of predators such as Typhlodromalus sp. and Stigmaeus sp. generally feed on eriophyid or tetranychid mites, living in the soil and plants. The objective of the trial was to determine the predation capacity of Tiphlodromalus sp. and Stigmaeus sp. on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on strawberry. The research was analyzed by means of an analysis of variance compared by means test according to Tukey (P< 0.05) using the Statistix package and by divided plots. The predators Typhlodromalus sp. and Stigmaeus sp. on different egg densities (5, 10, 20, 30 and 40) and mobile stages, larvae and nymphs, (2, 4, 8 and 16) of 7: urticae were studied in separate trials under laboratory conditions. Through the research carried out, it was possible to calculate the number of prey consumed by the predator Typhlodromalus sp. in egg stages of T- urticae, With the best result being T3 with a density of 20 eggs and an average of 2.8 eggs consumed/day, and for the mobile phase it was determined that the best treatment was T4 with a density of 8 mites reaching an average of 2.12 mites in mobile phase consumed/day. For the predator Stigmaeus sp. in terms of the number of prey consumed in egg stages of T- wrticae it was shown that the most effective treatment was T5 with a density of 40 eggs and an average of 3.6 eggs consumed/day, for the mobile phase it was found that the best treatment was T4 with a density of 16 mites in mobile phases and an average of 1.62 mites in mobile phase consumed/day. Keywords: strawberry cultivation, 7etranychus urticae, depredador, Typhlodromalus sp., Stigmaeus sp.