Effect of photoperiod on development and demographic parameters of Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari: Phytoseiidae) fed on Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae).

Effects of five photoperiods (Light:Dark = 4:20, 8:16; 12:12, 16:8, 20:4) on the development, survival and reproduction of Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes fed on storage mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) were examined under laboratory conditions at 85 % relative humidity and 24 °C. Development time of almost all immature stages in N. barkeri was the shortest (5.43 ± 0.12 days) under 12 h of daylight. Total duration of immature stages was as high as 8.55 ± 0.16 days during the longest photoperiod. Photoperiod had no effect on hatching rate, but did affect survival of larvae, protonymphs and deutonymphs. Total survivorship ranged from 20 (4:20) to 60 % (12:12). Under 12 h daylight, female adults had the shortest pre- and post-oviposition period, longest oviposition period and longevity, largest total number of eggs (15.95) and and highest daily egg production (1.43) per female. Under 12 h light, N. barkeri experienced its highest net reproductive rate (R 0  = 11.791), intrinsic rate of increase (r m  = 0.180), and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.197), and lowest mean generation time (t = 13.71 days) and population doubling time (DT = 3.86 days). All demographic parameters displayed a parabolic relationship with photoperiod. The results of the present study indicated that the photoperiod of 12:12 is optimal for the development and reproduction of N. barkeri fed on T. putrescentiae, and that N. barkeri may serve most efficiently as a biological control agent under this regime.