Oligonychus punicae as a pest of Eucalyptus urophylla in cultivation and potential new host species in Brazil.

This study identified a mite species associated with Eucalyptus urophylla in clonal mini-garden of nursery seedling production and determined its instantaneous growth rate on several species of eucalypts. Mites were collected on the leaves of E. urophylla strains grown in clonal mini-garden and mounted on microscopy slides to species identification, while other were kept rearing on arenas. To determine the instantaneous growth rate of mites on Eucalyptus brassiana, E. urophylla, E. grandis, E. tereticornis, E. pellita and Corymbia citriodora grown on pots, arenas were assembled with Petri dishes containing foam, filter paper and leaf discs of each species of eucalypt and five adult mite females from the breeding colony. The "arenas" were kept in climatic chambers under controlled conditions. After 10 days the instantaneous growth rate was determined. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with six treatments and six replicates. Data were submitted to Kruskal Wallis non-parametric test. The mite was identified as Oligonychus punicae. This is the first record of O. punicae associated with E. urophylla plants in clonal mini-garden of nursery seedling production. The instantaneous growth rate of O. punicae was positive in the six species of eucalypts suggesting the mite might damage clonal mini-gardens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]