Effectiveness of Two Predatory Mite Species (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Controlling Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

Abstract The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is the insect vector of huanglongbing (HLB), the most devastating citrus disease in the world. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two species of commercially available predatory mites, Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) and N. barkeri (Hughes) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), against D. citri. The predatory mites were evaluated by (1) determining their prey stage preference under no-choice conditions by providing eggs, 1st and 2nd instar nymphs; (2) determining the functional and numerical responses of the predators to varying densities of eggs (from 2 to 32/leaf disk); and (3) evaluating the control effect of N. cucumeris on D. citri on caged trees of Citrus reticulata Blanco in the field, using 1 to 8 sachets (900 ± 100 adult mites per sachet) per tree. The results indicated that N. cucumeris consumed eggs of D. citri only, whereas N. barkeri consumed eggs and 1st instar nymphs. Both predators displayed a Typ...