Toxicity of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) formulations for twospotted spider mite and Euseius alatus de leon and Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The toxicity of selected commercial formulations of neem on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and two predatory mites Euseius alatus De Leon and Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) was studied. Topical toxicity was tested with the commercial formulations (Natuneem, Neemseto and Callneem) and extract of neem's seeds at concentration 1%, compared to the standard acaricide abamectin at concentration of 0.3 ml/L and the control treatment (distilled water). Based on the best performance against T. urticae through topical contact, the formulation Neemseto was selected to be evaluated using different concentrations against eggs, and residual and repellent effects on adults of the mites. Egg treatment consisted of dipping eggs into Neemseto dilutions and control treatment for five seconds. In addition, residual and repellent effects of Neemseto for adult mites consisted of using leaf discs dipped into the dilutions for five seconds. The toxicity of Neemseto on eggs and adults was greater for T. urticae compared to the toxicity observed for the predatory mites. Neemseto was repellent for T. urticae and E. alatus when tested at the concentrations of 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0%, and did not affect P. macropilis. Neemseto using all concentrations, while for the predatory mites significant reduction of mite fecundity was only observed at the largest concentrations reduced the fecundity of T. urticae significantly. So Neemseto, among tested neem formulations, performed better against the twospotted spider mite and exhibited relatively low impact against the predatory mites studied.