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Dose–Response and Temperature Dependence of the Mortality of Spider Mite and Predatory Mite Eggs Caused by Daily Nighttime Ultraviolet‐B Irradiation
Author(s) -
Yuan Lifeng,
Osakabe Masahiro
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/php.13204
Subject(s) - tetranychus urticae , spider mite , mite , biology , spider , horticulture , pest analysis , ultraviolet radiation , irradiation , toxicology , predator , botany , predation , ecology , chemistry , physics , nuclear physics , radiochemistry
Abstract The two‐spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae , is an economically important agricultural pest. A novel physical control method involving daily nighttime UV‐B irradiation was recently developed for use in strawberry greenhouses. However, the overlapping of leaves after March prevents direct irradiation to T . urticae on the lower leaf surface, decreasing control effect. Excessive UV‐B irradiation causes leaf sunscald in winter. Therefore, optimization of UV‐B irradiance and a compensatory control agent are desired. Temperature may affect the survival of organisms exposed to UV‐B, although the temperature dependence of UV‐B damage is controversial. A phytoseiid mite, Neoseiulus californicus , is a prominent predator but vulnerable to a single UV‐B irradiation. We compared dose–response and temperature dependence of UV‐B damage between T . urticae and N . californicus eggs under daily nighttime UV‐B irradiation. Unexpectedly, N. californicus showed greater resistance to UV‐B than T. urticae , and the mortality was increased and decreased at low and high temperatures, respectively. This makes possible the application of UV‐B doses that are lethal for spider mites but safe for phytoseiid mites. Overall, we concluded that combined use of phytoseiid mites with UV‐B lamps is advantageous to spider mite management in strawberry greenhouses.