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Toxicity evaluation of oxamyl against tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari: Eriophyideae) and two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) under greenhouse conditions

Avaliação da toxicidade de oxamil contra o ácaro do tomateiro, Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari: Eriophyideae) e o ácaro-aranha, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) sob condições de estufa

Abstract

Agriculture sector of Saudi Arabia is growing swiftly and tomato is an important crop cultivated mostly under green houses. Unfortunately, it is facing severe infestation due to divers mite species. Present study, relates to evaluation of toxicity of oxamyl against two phytophagous mites; Aculops lycopersici and Tetranychus urticae, isolated from tomato plants suffering from infestation. Simultaneous effect of oxamyl on two predatory mites; Neosiulus cucumeris and Euseius scutalis, was also evaluated. Three concentrations of oxamyl; half of the recommended dose (HRD), recommended dose (RD) and double recommended dose (DRD), were used against each mite specie to observe mortality within seven days as compared to the control. Significant mortality of 97.91% and 93.92% was observed in A. lycopersici and T. urticae, respectively at RD. In case of predatory mites; N. cucumeris and E. scutalis, mortality was 60.61% and 64.48%, respectively, under same conditions. Mortality of mites observed at HRD was insignificant and there was negligible increase in mortality at DRD. Oxamyl being less toxic to predatory mites and significantly mortal to phytophagous mites is recommended as a tool to as a tool to achieve biological control parallel to pesticidal effect.

Keywords:
oxamyl; tomato; Tetranychus urticae; Aculops lycopersici; Neosiulus cucumeris; Euseius scutalis

Resumo

O setor agrícola da Arábia Saudita está crescendo rapidamente e o tomate é uma cultura importante cultivada principalmente em estufas. Infelizmente, está enfrentando uma infestação severa devido a diversas espécies de ácaros. O presente estudo refere-se à avaliação da toxicidade do oxamil contra dois ácaros fitófagos; Aculops lycopersici e Tetranychus urticae, isolados de tomateiros infestados. Efeito simultâneo de oxamil em dois ácaros predadores; Neosiulus cucumeris e Euseius scutalis, também foi avaliado. Três concentrações de oxamil; metade da dose recomendada (HRD), dose recomendada (RD) e dose dupla recomendada (DRD), foram usados ​​contra cada espécie de ácaro para observar a mortalidade em sete dias em comparação com o controle. Mortalidade significativa de 97,91% e 93,92% foi observada em A. lycopersici e T. urticae, respectivamente no RD. No caso de ácaros predadores; N. cucumeris e E. scutalis, a mortalidade foi de 60,61% e 64,48%, respectivamente, nas mesmas condições. A mortalidade de ácaros observada no HRD foi insignificante e houve um aumento insignificante na mortalidade no DRD. Oxamil sendo menos tóxico para ácaros predadores e significativamente mortal para ácaros fitófagos é recomendado como ferramenta para alcançar o controle biológico paralelo ao efeito pesticida.

Palavras-chave:
oxamil; tomate; Tetranychus urticae; Aculops lycopersici; Neosiulus cucumeris; Euseius scutalis

1. Introduction

Tomato Russet Mite (TRM), Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari: Eriophyideae) was first reported in Australia by Massee (1937)MASSEE, A.M., 1937. An eriophyid mite injurious to tomato. Bulletin of Entomological Research, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300038864.
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. Thereafter, it was observed on Solanum lycopersicum L plants (Tomato) in several countries such as Korea (Kim et al., 2002KIM, D.G., PARK, D.G., KIM, S.H., PARK, I.S. and CHOI, S.K., 2002. Morphology, biology and chemical control of tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici Massee (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Korea. Korean Journal of Applied Entomology, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 255-261.), USA (Anderson, 1954ANDERSON, L.D., 1954. The tomato russet mite in the United States. Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 1001-1005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/47.6.1001.
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), Egypt (Abou-Awad, 1979ABOU-AWAD, B.A., 1979. Über die RotgelbeTomatenmilbe, Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari, Eriophyidae), in Ägypten. Anz. Schädlingskd., Pflanz. Umweltschutz., vol. 52, pp. 153-156.), Argentina (Rossi, 1962ROSSI, N.H., 1962. Vasates lycopersici (Massee), parasito de la tomate ranuevopara la Argentina. Argentina: Instituto de Patología Vegetal, CNIA, 4 p. INTA. Publ. Teen., no. 125.), Brazil (Flechtmann and Aranda, 1970FLECHTMANN, C.H.W. and ARANDA, B.R., 1970. New record and notes on Eriophyid mites from Brasil and Paraguay, with a list of Eriophyidae from South America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, vol. 72, no. 1, pp. 94-98.), Venezuela (Cermeli et al., 1982CERMELI, M., DORESTE, S.E. and VAN BALEN, L., 1982. Aculops lycopersici (Massee 1937) (Acari:Eriophyidae) plaga del cultivo del tomate en Venezuela. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía, vol. 12, no. 3-4, pp. 227-234.), Japan (Nemoto, 2000NEMOTO, H., 2000. Recent topics on pests: eriophyid mites. Agriculture, Horticulture, vol. 75, pp. 181-187. [in Japanese].) and Saudi Arabia (Gentry, 1965GENTRY, J.W., 1965. Crop insects of northeast Africa-southwest Asia. USA: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Handbook, no. 273.; Martin, 1971MARTIN, H.E., 1971. List of plant pests and diseases in Saudi Arabia. Cairo: FAO Near East Plant Protection Commission.; EPPO, 2014EUROPEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN PLANT PROTECTION ORGANIZATION – EPPO, 2014 [viewed 21 June 2021]. PQR database [online]. Paris. Available from: http://www.eppo.int/DATABASES/pqr/pqr.htm
http://www.eppo.int/DATABASES/pqr/pqr.ht...
). As it can cause significant damage to tomato plants, it was regarded as an phytophagous pest affecting tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and hence, yield. Its outbreak causes serious damage to the epidermal cells of the leaflet resulting into a curling of the leaflet edges, desiccation, harm to tissues and ultimately plant death (Keifer et al., 1982KEIFER, H.H., BAKER, E.W., KONO, T., DELFINADO, M. and STYLER, W.E., 1982. An illustrated guide to plant abnormalities caused by eriophyid mites in North America. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 178 p. USDA Agriculture Handbook, no. 573.; Royalty and Perring, 1987ROYALTY, R.N. and PERRING, T.M., 1987. Comparative toxicity of acaricides to Aculops lycopersici and Homeopronematus anconai (Acari: Eriophyidae, Tydeidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 80, no. 2, pp. 348-351. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/80.2.348.
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; Haque and Kawai, 2002HAQUE, M.M. and KAWAI, A., 2002. Population Growth of Tomato Russet Mite, Aculops lycopersici (Acari: Eriophyidae) and Its Injury Effect on the Growth of Tomato Plants. Journal of the Acarological Society of Japan, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.2300/acari.11.1.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2300/acari.11.1...
). It can also tarnish or damage the surface of the fruits (Kim et al., 2002KIM, D.G., PARK, D.G., KIM, S.H., PARK, I.S. and CHOI, S.K., 2002. Morphology, biology and chemical control of tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici Massee (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Korea. Korean Journal of Applied Entomology, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 255-261.). In addition, there are more than 24 host plants of A. lycopersici spread in three different plant families Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae and Rosaceae (Perring, 1996PERRING, T.M., 1996. Vegetables. In: E.E. LINDQUIST, M.W. SABELIS and J. BRUIN, eds. Eriophyoid mites: their biology, natural enemies and control. Burlington: Elsevier, pp. 593-610. World Crop Pests, no. 6.; Larrain, 2000LARRAÍN, P., 2000. Incidencia de insectos y ácarosplagas en pepinodulce (Solanum muricatum Ait.) cultivado en la IV Región, Chile. Agricultura Técnica, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 15-26.; Duso et al., 2010DUSO, C., CASTAGNOLI, M., SIMONI, S. and ANGELI, G., 2010. The impact of eriophyoides on crops: recent issues on Aculus schlechtendali, Calepitrimerus vitis and Aculops lycopersici. Experimental & Applied Acarology, vol. 51, no. 1-3, pp. 151-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10493-009-9300-0. PMid:19757100.
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).

Eriophyoid mites revealed equal susceptibility to many acaricides like amitraz, dicofol, propargite, ethion, bromopropylate and abamectin as compared with mite species linked to Tetranychidae (Thomas et al., 2009THOMAS, V.L., WITTERS, J., NAUEN, R., DUSO, C. and TIRRY, L., 2009. The control of eriophyoid mites: State of the art and future challenges. Exp. appl. Acarol., 51: 205-24. https://doi.10.1007/s10493-009-9312-9
https://doi.org/https://doi.10.1007/s104...
). However, Tetranychidae had few adverse effects from benzoylphenylurea insecticides diflubenzuron and teflubenzuron whereas russet mites were adversely affected (Childers et al., 1996CHILDERS, C.C., EASTERBROOK, M.A. and SOLOMON, M.G. 1996.Chemical control of eryophyoid mites. In: E.E. LINDQUIST, M.W. SABELIS and J. BRUIN, eds. Eryophyoid mites: their biology, natural enemies and control. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 695-726. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1572-4379(96)80048-0.
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; Scarpellini and Clari, 1999SCARPELLINI, J.R. and CLARI, A.R., 1999. Control of the citrus rust mite Phyllocoptrutaoleivora Ashmead, 1879 (Acari: Eriophyidae) with diflubenzuron alone or in association with sulphur, in citrus. Redia, vol. 74, pp. 15-23.).

The effectiveness of several insecticides and/or acaricides against A. lycopersici has been assessed. For instance, Abou-Awad and El-Banhawy (1985)ABOU-AWAD, B.A. and EL-BANHAWY, E.M., 1985. Susceptibility of the tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici in Egypt to methamidiphos, pyridaphenthion, cypermethrin, dicofol and fenarimol. Experimental & Applied Acarology, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 11-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01262195.
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investigated the vulnerability of A. lycopersici to methamidophos, dicofol, pyridaphenthion, and fenarimol cypermethrin. Furthermore, Royalty and Perring (1987)ROYALTY, R.N. and PERRING, T.M., 1987. Comparative toxicity of acaricides to Aculops lycopersici and Homeopronematus anconai (Acari: Eriophyidae, Tydeidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 80, no. 2, pp. 348-351. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/80.2.348.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/80.2.348...
compared the toxicity of five acaricides i.e. cyhexatin, avermectin B1, dicofol, thuringiensin, and sulfur to A. lycopersici.Kashyap et al. (2014)KASHYAP, L., SHARMA, D.K. and SOOD, A., 2014. Infestation and Management of Russet Mite, Aculops lycopersici in Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum under Protected Environment in North-Western India. Environment and Ecology, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 87-90. evaluated the efficacy of azadirachtin, abamectin, hexythiazox, spiromesifen and mineral oil against A. lycopersici.

Notwithstanding the strong vulnerability of Eriophyoid mites to most available acaricides, several species of Eriophyoid mites (including A. lycopersici) have developed resistance. In Egypt for example, the resistance of A. lycopersici to methamidophos was recorded after three seasons of use (Abou-Awad and El-Banhawy, 1985ABOU-AWAD, B.A. and EL-BANHAWY, E.M., 1985. Susceptibility of the tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici in Egypt to methamidiphos, pyridaphenthion, cypermethrin, dicofol and fenarimol. Experimental & Applied Acarology, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 11-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01262195.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01262195...
). This would motivate scientific researchers to find alternative strategies for controlling A. lycopersici.

The two spotted spider mite (TSMM), Tetranychus urticae Koch is regarded as the most important species of the family Tetranychidae, as it is considered as pest of 900 plant species (Jeppson et al., 1997JEPPSON, L.R., KEIFER, H.H. and BAKER, E.W. 1997. Mites injurious to economic plants-l. Berkeley: University of California Press, 383 p.; Meyer, 1996;MEYER, S.K.M., 1996. Mite pests and their predators on cultivated plants in Southern Africa: vegetables and berries. Pretoria: ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, pp. 47-69. Naher, 2005NAHER, N., 2005. Integrated management of two-spotted spider mite infesting beans. Bangladesh: Institute of Biological Science, Rajshahi University, 221 p. Ph.D. thesis.). It has been reported that T. urticae can cause considerable economic loss to beans, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and roses (Niu et al., 2014NIU, Z., XIE, P., YU, L. and BI, J., 2014. efficacy of selected acaricides against the two-spotted spider mite on strawberries in China, 2013. Arthropod Management Tests, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. C7. http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7...
; Kumari et al., 2017KUMARI, S., CHAUHAN, U., KUMARI, A. and NADDA, G., 2017. Comparative toxicities of novel and conventional acaricides against different stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acarina: tetranychidae). Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 191-196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.06.003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.0...
; Al-Azzazy and Alhewairini, 2018AL-AZZAZY, M.M. and ALHEWAIRINI, S.S., 2018. Effectiveness of Huwa-San TR50 on tomato russet mite Aculops lycopersici (Massee) (Acari: eriophyideae). Pakistan Journal of Zoology, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 869-875. http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2018.50.3.869.875.
http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2...
). Like other phytophagous mites, T. urticae feeds on plant leaves and causes injuries to the epidermis that result in yellow and brown blotch, which goes along with dryness and leaf fall (Abou-El-Ela, 2014ABOU-EL-ELA, A.A., 2014. Efficacy of five acaricides against the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch and their side effects on some natural enemies. Journal of Basic & Applied Zoology, vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 13-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jobaz.2014.03.001.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jobaz.2014.0...
). Apart from its damage to the plant, T. urticae invasion can cause a considerable depletion in the quantity and quality of various profitable crops or in complete yield loss (Niu et al., 2014NIU, Z., XIE, P., YU, L. and BI, J., 2014. efficacy of selected acaricides against the two-spotted spider mite on strawberries in China, 2013. Arthropod Management Tests, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. C7. http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7...
).

The toxic effects of unique and conventional acaricides such as chlorfenapyr, spiromesifen, hexythiazox, abamectin, fenpyroximate, etoxazole, matrine, beta-cypermethrin, bifenazate, spirodiclofen, diafenthiuron, pyridaben, clofentezine, fenazaquin, dicofol and dimethoate to all T. urticae stages were analyzed in several studies (Niu et al., 2014NIU, Z., XIE, P., YU, L. and BI, J., 2014. efficacy of selected acaricides against the two-spotted spider mite on strawberries in China, 2013. Arthropod Management Tests, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. C7. http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4182/amt.2014.C7...
; Shah and Shukla, 2014SHAH, D.R. and SHUKLA, A., 2014. Chemical control of two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) infesting gerbera. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 155-161.; Kumari et al., 2017KUMARI, S., CHAUHAN, U., KUMARI, A. and NADDA, G., 2017. Comparative toxicities of novel and conventional acaricides against different stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acarina: tetranychidae). Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 191-196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.06.003.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2015.0...
). These include plant abstractions especially Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss), which is based on the commercial formula, azadirachtin (Bernardi et al., 2013BERNARDI, D., BOTTON, M., CUNHA, U.S., BERNARDI, O., MALAUSA, T., GARCIA, M.S. and NAVA, D.E., 2013. Effects of azadirachtin on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its compatibility with predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on strawberry. Pest Management Science, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 75-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.3364. PMid:22807305.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.3364...
). Moreover, these studies discussed in detail the side effects of these acaricides to predacious mites related to the infestation of T. urticae. This is because the use of pesticides is usually necessary to maintain the pest population below the economically sustainable level which cannot be obtained by predation (Maroufpoor et al., 2016MAROUFPOOR, M., GHOOSTA, Y., POURMIRZA, A.A. and LOTFALIZADEH, H., 2016. The effects of selected acaricides on life table parameters of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus fed on European red mite. North-Western Journal of Zoology, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1-6.).

Acaricides like dicofol, abamectin, hexythiazox and clofentezine, used for controlling acaricides result in a swift resistance after a few years of their use (Beers et al., 1998BEERS, E.H., RIEDL, H. and DUNLEY, J.E., 1998. Resistance to abamectin and reversion to susceptibility to fenbutatin oxide in spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) populations in the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 91, no. 2, pp. 352-360. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/91.2.352.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/91.2.352...
; Stumpf and Nauen, 2001STUMPF, N. and NAUEN, R., 2001. Cross-resistance, inheritance and biochemistry of mitochondrial electron transport inhibitor acaricide resistance in Tetranychus urticae (Acari: tetranychidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 94, no. 6, pp. 1577-1583. http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.6.1577. PMid:11777067.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.6...
, 2002STUMPF, N. and NAUEN, R., 2002. Biochemical markers linked to abamectin resistance in Tetranychus urticae (Acari: tetranychidae). Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 111-121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/pest.2001.2583.
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; Sato et al., 2005SATO, M.E., SILVA, M.Z., RAGA, A. and SOUZA FILHO, M.F., 2005. Abamectin resistance in Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae): selection, cross-resistance and stability of resistance. Neotropical Entomology, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 991-998. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1519-566X2005000600016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1519-566X2005...
; Whalon et al., 2008WHALON, M.E., MOTA-SANCHEZ, D. and HOLLINGWORTH, R.M., 2008. Analysis of global pesticide resistance in arthropods. In: M.E. WHALON, D. MOTA-SANCHEZ and R.M. HOLLINGWORTH, eds. Global pesticide resistance in arthropods. Wallingford: CABI Publishing, pp. 5-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/9781845933531.0005.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/9781845933531....
; Nicastro et al., 2013NICASTRO, R.L., SATO, M.E., ARTHUR, V. and DA SILVA, M.Z., 2013. Chlorfenapyr resistance in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae: stability, cross-resistance and monitoring of resistance. Phytoparasitica, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 503-513. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12600-013-0309-x.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12600-013-030...
; Tirello et al., 2012TIRELLO, P., POZZEBON, A., CASSANELLI, S., VAN LEEUWEN, T. and DUSO, C., 2012. Resistance to acaricides in Italian strains of Tetranychus urticae: toxicological and enzymatic assays. Experimental & Applied Acarology, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 53-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10493-012-9536-y. PMid:22447041.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10493-012-953...
). To compensate resistance there is need to increase dose of the acaricides, that have long residual toxicity and other environmental hazards (Shah and Shukla, 2014SHAH, D.R. and SHUKLA, A., 2014. Chemical control of two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) infesting gerbera. Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 155-161.).

Oxamyl is a carbamate pesticide which is used commercially to control insects, mites, ticks and nematodes found in various field crops. It is toxic to human, fish, birds and many other animals including insects and mites, if ingested or adsorbed via skin (Brock, 1988BROCK, W., 1988. Acute dermal toxicity study of IN D1410-196 in rabbits. Medical Research No. 4581-572. Haskell Laboratory. 18 p. Wilmington: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Haskell Laboratory Report, no. 114-88. MRID 40606501. Unpublished study prepared by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc.; Bansal, 1983BANSAL, O.P., 1983. Adsorption of oxamyl and dimecron in montmorillonite suspensions. Soil Science Society of America Journal, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 877-882. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1983.03615995004700050007x.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1983.0361...
). Chemically, oxamyl is N, N-dimethyl-2-methylcarbamoyloxyimino-2-(methylthio) acetamide (Kidd and James, 1991KIDD, H. and JAMES, D.R., eds., 1991. The agrochemicals handbook. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry Information Services.). In market, it is available as a white crystalline solid or colorless solution.

As a consequence, this study was aimed at evaluating the toxicity of oxamyl against TSSM and TRM and its side effects on the predatory mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis under greenhouses conditions.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Solutions and experimental protocol

Commercial formulation of oxamyl (Fymate 24%, oxamyl, 240000ppm) was procured from Astra Company (KSA) for direct spray mixture, the recommended dose was 400 mL/100L (960ppm).

This study was conducted in March 2019. About 20m2 of two different harvested lands (into two different greenhouses) with tomato saplings (Pritchard cultivar) were selected and divided into 5 plots (each plot was about 2 m2), and all plots were arrayed in a randomized complete block design. Experiments to evaluate the toxic effect of oxamyl on two acari, A. lycopersici and T. urticae and two predatory mites N. cucumeris and E. scutalis, were designed under greenhouse conditions because in Saudi Arabia, tomatoes are mostly cultivated in green houses. A stereomicroscope was used to ascertain the initial density and distribution of T. urticae and A. lycopersici and the predatory mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis (moving stages) as a pre-spray count, ten tomato leaves of each treatment were randomly gathered and put into a clean labeled plastic bag and taken to the laboratory. Half of the recommended dose (HRD = 480ppm), recommended dose (RD = 960ppm) and double recommended dose (DRD = 1920ppm) of oxamyl including the control (well water) with 5 imitations were directly sprayed by using a knapsack sprayer (20L) on the tomato plants which were densely plagued by tomato russet mite.

A stereomicroscope was used for direct examination that was made one week after the application of three oxamyl concentrations, to ascertain the percentage reduction in the population of tomato russet mites on the tomato plants after spraying.

2.2. Statistical analysis

Henderson and Tilton (1955)HENDERSON, C.F. and TILTON, E.W., 1955. Test with acaricides against the brown wheat mite. J. Econom. Entmol., vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 157-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/48.2.157.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/48.2.157...
equation was used to calculate the percentage depletion in the average populations of A. lycopersici, T. urticae and the predacious mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis (Equation 1).

Corrected (%) = (1- n in Co before treatment × n in T after treatment n in Co after treatment × n in T before treatment ) * 100 (1)

where: n = Number of A. lycopersici, T. urticae and the predatory mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis population, T = Treated, Co = Control.

The death - count of A. lycopersici and N. cucumeris was made manually by direct observation under a stereomicroscope. Subsequently, Microsoft Excel Program was used to calculate the average percentage of a number of larvae hatching from eggs. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis of all variables of the acquired data (MSTAT-C, 1990MSTAT-C, 1990. Microcomputer program for the design, management and analysis of agronomic research experiments. East Lansing: Michigan State University.).

3. Results

3.1. Effect of different concentrations of oxamyl on selected phytophagous mites

Table 1 shows effect of three concentrations of oxamyl on mortality of two selected mites, collected from infested tomato plants under greenhouse conditions. Mortality observed when A. lycopersici is treated with HRD, RD and DRD is 73.70, 97.91 and 100.00%, respectively. In case of T. urticae at same three concentrations average mortality is 62.67, 93.92 and 100.00%. At RD mortality in A. lycopersici is 3.99% more than T. urticae. There is negligible increase in mortality when concentration is increased from RD to DRD (Table 1).

Table 1
Effect of three concentrations of oxamyl on Aculops lycopersici and Tetranychus urticae in infested tomato plants under greenhouse conditions.

3.2. Effect of different concentrations of oxamyl on selected predatory mites

Table 2 shows effect of three concentrations of oxamyl on mortality of two selected predatory mites, collected from tomato plants infected with A. lycopersici and T. urticae, under greenhouse conditions. Mortality observed when N. cucumeris is treated with HRD, RD and DRD is 25.14, 60.61 and 70.99%, respectively. In case of E. scutalis at same three concentrations average mortality is 27.45, 64.48 and 73.28%, respectively. At RD mortality in N. cucumeris is 3.87% lesser than the mortality observed for E. scutalis. Results show that mortality in predatory mites is around 30% less as compared to the values obtained in case of phytophagous mites.

Table 2
Corrected percentage mortality of the predatory mites, Neosiulus cucumeris and Euseius scutalis associated with tomato plants treated with three concentrations of oxamyl under greenhouse conditions.

3.3. Comparative effect of oxamyl on mortality of phytophagous mites and predatory mites

Figure 1 presents, effect of three concentrations of oxamyl (HRD, RD and DRD) on the mortality of two phytophagous mites; A. lycopersici and T. urticae and two predatory mites; N. cucumeris and E. scutalis. It can be observed from the bar graph that mortality in case of predatory mites is lower than the phytophagous mites. Among the two phytophagous mites, mortality is slightly lower in T. urticae at HRD and RD with values of 62.67 and 93.92%, respectively.

Figure 1
Comparison of the effect of three concentrations of oxamyl (HRD, RD and DRD) on the mortality of A. lycopersici, T. urticae and the predatory mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis.

4. Discussion

In Saudi Arabia agricultural sector is growing rapidly and is facing severe destruction due to infestation caused by diverse mite species. Use of higher concentrations of pesticides has become a common practice in green house cultivation resulting in damage to non-target species and residual effects on the crops. Harmful effects of any pesticide can be avoided by using it carefully and keeping its applied concentration as low as possible. In this study, a commonly used acaricides, oxamyl, has been used to evaluate its toxicity against phytophagous mites and predatory mites infesting tomato plants in green houses of the region of Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Oxamyl was selected because it is relatively safe chemical because it is hydrolyzed rapidly to the corresponding non-toxic compounds and its half-life is only 1 to 2 weeks (Hayes Junior and Laws Junior, 1991). This work is continuation of the author’s efforts to introduce effective, friendly and safe pesticides to the growing agriculture of Saudi Arabia (Alhawirini, 2017ALHAWIRINI, S.S., 2017. Innovative approach for the use of Huwa-San TR50 in Controlling cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover). Journal of Agricultural Science, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 77. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jas.v9n4p77.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jas.v9n4p77...
). Selection of the mites was made on the bases of their abundance on infested tomato plants in green house. Predatory mites were also collected from the same green house and same plants. Experimental trials are fairly successful as oxamyl caused 97.91% and 93.92% mortality in A. lycopersici and T. urticae, respectively, when used at recommended dosage (Table 1). Toxicity study of a pesticide is incomplete unless its impact on non-target species is evaluated. Therefore, mortality of predatory mites under same conditions and same place was observed. Oxamyl caused mortality of 60.61% and 64.48% in the two selected predatory mites, N. cucumeris and E. scutalis, respectively (Table 2). Results clearly display that oxamyl is relatively less toxic to predatory mites. This aspect of oxamyl makes it distinctive for its commercial applications because commonly used pesticides like abamectin are equally toxic to target and non-target species (McGregor, 1954MCGREGOR, E.A., 1954. Two new mites in the genus Typhlodromus (Acarina: phytoseiidae). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, vol. 53, pp. 89-92.).

Oxamyl is, therefore, recommended for use as a pesticide in agriculture sector, specifically in greenhouses to control infestation caused by A. lycopersici and T. urticae. Further studies are suggested to evaluate its differential action on diverse mite species.

5. Conclusion

It is concluded that oxamyl is an effective acaricide against A. lycopersici and T. urticae. It is relatively less toxic to predatory mites and shows discriminative action to target and non-target mite species. Oxamyl is a useful acaricide to promote biological control strategies in green houses. Further research is encouraged to investigate its differential toxicity to diverse mite species.

6. Acknowledgements

The researcher would like to thank the Deanship of Scientific Research, Qassim University for funding the publication of this project.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    14 Mar 2022
  • Date of issue
    2024

History

  • Received
    21 June 2021
  • Accepted
    18 Feb 2022
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