Aptness of the Dark Red Spider Mite, Tetranychus ludeni, on Brinjal and Tomato: Biology and Fertility Life Tables

It is well recognized that the quality of host plants affects the development and survival of plant-feeding arthropods. The effects of two vegetable crops, Brinjal (Solanum melongena) and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were examined on the developmental biology and demographic parameters of the spider mite, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher (Acari: Tetranychidae). This mite was a serious on many vegetable crops causing yield loss. The experiments were conducted at Acarology laboratory of Department of Agricultural Entomology, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore with a constant Temperature: 25°C-26°C and Relative Humidity: 69%-72%. Total life cycle of T. ludeni on different hosts period ranged from 9.01 days (brinjal) to 10.10 days (tomato), which evidently showed its faster development on brinjal compared to tomato. The mite species produced more number of female offsprings in a generation on tomato leaves, with a highest Net Reproduction Rate (R_o) of 53.94 females in each generation.