Effect of insecticides and fungicides on the interaction between members of the mite families Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae on citrus.

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of some insecticides and fungicides on the interaction between predacious mites of the families Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae on citrus. Euseius citrifolius Denmark and Muma, Euseius concordis (Chant) (Phytoseiidae), and Agistemus aff. bakeri (Stigmaeidae) were the most abundant species of predacious mites. No significant reduction of the population of stigmaeids was detected following the pesticide treatment. On the contrary, the population of those mites increased after the application of methidathion, petroleum oil, deltamethrin, cupric oxychloride and cuprous oxide, as compared to the population of those mites in the control plots. The chemicals promoting increased stigmaeid populations are some of those that promoted reduction of phytoseiid populations. A significant negative correlation was found between the numbers of phytoseiids and stigmaeids on citrus leaves immediately before treatments, and 33, 50, 83 and 105 days after treatment. A clear negative linear correlation between the number of predacious mites from both families was detected for benomyl, cupric oxychloride, cuprous oxide, thiophanate methyl, and control. Phytoseiid-stigmaeid interaction on citrus orchard is discussed.