ABSTRACT

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch is an excellent model organism among phytophagous mites. Therefore, the investigation for alternative host plants for a mass rearing programme is of great interest. However, its development and reproduction are affected by host plant variability. In this study, the biology of T. urticae on three cultivars of strawberry, three cultivars of chrysanthemum, and two cultivars of papaya were studied under constant laboratory conditions. Basic leaf nutritional contents were analysed as the factors determining the host quality. Results showed that the development, oviposition period, adult longevity, and female fecundity of the mite were significantly influenced by host plants. The greatest performance of T. urticae was recorded on the Sweet Charlie cultivar of strawberry where the development lasted for 9.03 ± 0.40 days, the total fecundity was 46.75 ± 11.62 eggs per female, and the intrinsic rate of increase was 0.272. The results also suggest that higher protein proportion of the leaf significantly increases mite fecundity. The longer developmental time and lower fecundity of the mite could be the result of nutritional inadequacy and/or imbalance in the poor quality host plants such as chrysanthemum.

摘要

二斑叶螨Tetranychus urticae Koch 是植食性螨类中优良的模式生物。因此，对用于大规模饲养计划的替代寄主植物的调查非常有趣。然而，其发育和繁殖受寄主植物变异性的影响。在这项研究中，在恒定的实验室条件下研究了荨麻在三个草莓品种、三个菊花品种和两个木瓜品种上的生物学特性。分析了作为决定寄主品质的因素的基本叶片营养含量。结果表明，寄主植物对螨的发育、产卵期、成虫寿命和雌性繁殖力有显着影响。荨麻的最大表现草莓甜查理品种的发育持续时间为9.03±0.40天，总产卵量为46.75±11.62个/雌性，内在增长率为0.272。结果还表明，较高的叶子蛋白质比例显着增加了螨的繁殖力。螨类较长的发育时间和较低的繁殖力可能是由于菊花等劣质寄主植物的营养不足和/或失衡造成的。