AN ALTERNATIVE CONTROL STRATEGY FOR GRAPE ERINEUM MITES.

Traditional acaricides, when used in agricultural fields and green houses, kill predatory mites along with phytophagous mites and cause disturbance in the natural biological control system. The present study involves a novel strategy in pest control systems that is through parallel control on hatching along with killing mites while being at the same time relatively safe to predatory mites. The efficacy of Huwa -San TR50 on the mortality of grape erineum mites, Colomerus vitis, and their egg hatching in comparison to traditional acaricides has been evaluated. Abamectin and bifenthrin cause 83.82 and 98.11% mortality of predatory mites, respectively, when treated with recommended doses. The efficiency of these two acaricides is relatively lower against phytophagous mites, as the highest mortality is 84.46% with bifenthrin and 76.00% with abamectin. It is also observed that abamectin and bifenthrin affect the hatching process negligibly for the eggs of both Colomerus vitis (Pagenstecher) (Acari: Eriophyidae) and Tenuipalpus granati (Sayed) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). Mortality of C. vitis and T. granati caused by Huwa -San TR50 is 89.86 and 81.76%, respectively, at a spray concentration of 4000ppm. The application of Huwa-San TR50 on eggs of the two phytophagous mites severely affected hatching and only 33.92% successfully hatched. This laboratory study suggests that Huwa -San TR50 can be a better replacement for chemical acaricides. Further, to protect the natural control system through predatory mites, Huwa -San TR50 should be applied as it causes significant mortality in C. vitis and T. granati and is insignificantly harmful to predatory mites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]