Efficacy of Neoseiulus longispinosus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in controlling red spider mite, Tetranychus macfarlanei baker & pritchard on cucumber: Laboratory and field studies

Studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) against the emerging red spider mite, Tetranychus macfarlanei Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae). The study involved laboratory and field trials with different predator-prey ratios of 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, and 1:200. Laboratory trials revealed that hundred per cent reduction of prey mites was achieved at 10 and 12 days after predator release at ratios of 1:25 and 1:50, respectively. Recommending ratios of 1:25 and 1:200 to the farmer were deemed uneconomical. Field trials were conducted with the two other most effective predator-prey ratios, 1:50 and 1:100, and both ratios resulted in a greater than 99% reduction in the prey mite population 20 days after predator release. The study concluded that N. longispinosus is an effective and sustainable biocontrol agent for spider mites on cucumber plants. Recommending predator-prey ratios of 1:50 or 1:100 to farmers can lead to significant reductions in pest populations and is cost effective.