EVALUATION OF UTILIZING INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT AS A SUBSTITUTED FOR THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL TO CONTROL THE TWO SPOTTED SPIDER MITE, TETRANYCHUS URTICAE IN THE OPEN FIELDS IN EGYPT

Neoseiulus californicus is considered a promising agent for successful controlling the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Vertimec, in selective doses, used to reduce the number of the two-spotted spider mite population withoutaffecting the survival of the predator. An open area was selected in El-Mahala district, El-Gharbia governorate to evaluate the utilizing of Vertimec followed by releasing N. californicus to control the population number of the two-spotted spider mite during unsuitable weather conditions for N. californicus, and activating the role of N. californicus to suppress the population number of T. urticae. An open area divided into two equal areas. The first area was allocated without Vertimec treatment and the second area was left for Vertimec treatment. The two areas are cultivated watermelon variety Sikata. The results obtained from releasing the predatory mite, N. californicus did not provide an advantage to prevent the two-spotted spider mite, T. urticae from exceeding the economic threshold level and subsequently deteriorated watermelon plant. In addition, the results obtained from spraying Vertimic pesticide before releasing the predatory mite N. californicus and duplicate the release of N. californicus was better of that obtained by releasing the predatory mite without using Vertimic in terms of suppressing the two-spotted spider mite, T. urticae.