Efficiency of Phytoseiulus longipes Evans as a control agent of Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Phytoseiidae: Tetranychidae) on screenhouse tomatoes

The spider mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard can cause severe damage to tomato crops. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes Evans was recently reported in association with T. evansi in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of P. longipes on the population of T. evansi on tomatoes under screenhouse condition. The study consisted on four experiments, in each of which 80 potted plantlets were distributed in two plots of 40 plantlets each. Two weeks later, each plantlet of both plots was infested with eight adult females of T. evansi; one week after, four adult females of P. longipes were released onto each plant of one plot. The population levels of T. evansi and the damage caused by these mites were significantly lower (P < 0.05; linear mixed-effect model) in the plots where P. longipes had been released. The results indicate the potential of this predator as a candidate for classical biological control of T. evansi by inoculative releases on tomato plants.     

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.     

A herbivorous mite down-regulates plant defence and produces web to exclude competitors

Herbivores may interact with each other through resource competition, but also through their impact on plant defence. We recently found that the spider mite Tetranychus evansi down-regulates plant defences in tomato plants, resulting in higher rates of oviposition and population growth on previously attacked than on unattacked leaves. The danger of such down-regulation is that attacked plants could become a more profitable resource for heterospecific competitors, such as the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Indeed, T. urticae had an almost 2-fold higher rate of oviposition on leaf discs on which T. evansi had fed previously. In contrast, induction of direct plant defences by T. urticae resulted in decreased oviposition by T. evansi. Hence, both herbivores affect each other through induced plant responses. However, when populations of T. evansi and T. urticae competed on the same plants, populations of the latter invariably went extinct, whereas T. evansi was not significantly affected by the presence of its competitor. This suggests that T. evansi can somehow prevent its competitor from benefiting from the down-regulated plant defence, perhaps by covering it with a profuse web. Indeed, we found that T. urticae had difficulties reaching the leaf surface to feed when the leaf was covered with web produced by T. evansi. Furthermore, T. evansi produced more web when exposed to damage or other cues associated with T. urticae. We suggest that the silken web produced by T. evansi serves to prevent competitors from profiting from down-regulated plant defences.     

Effects of different application methods of azadirachtin against sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hom., Aleyrodidae) on tomato plants

Abstract:  Studies on three different neem treatment methods (seed, soil and foliar) and two different commercial neem products (NeemAzal T/S 1% azadirachtin and NeemAzalU 17% azadirachtin) against sweetpotato whitefly (WF) Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hom., Aleyrodidae) on tomato plants were conducted in cages in air-conditioned cultivation rooms. All three methods of neem treatments resulted in reduced colonization and oviposition. Overall oviposition intensity was significantly reduced (44%) by the treatment of tomato seeds but an even higher reduction (74%) was achieved through soil drenching both with 3.0 g/l NeemAzalU and foliar spraying (82%) with 10 ml/l of NeemAzal TS compared with control treatments. In contrast, soil and foliar treatment increased fecundity per female up to 33% and 32%, respectively, at the highest tested concentrations. Reduced egg hatch could be observed only at high neem concentrations; 62% and 51% of deposited eggs hatched at the highest dose rates of NeemAzalU in case of seed and foliar treatments, respectively; whereas only 43% of deposited eggs hatched in case of foliar treatments at highest dose rates of NeemAzal T/S. Seed (35%), foliar (93%) and soil treatments (91%) caused high mortality rates of immatures and reduced number of hatching adults compared with control plants treated with a blank formulation or water. The mortality among immatures increased in relation to azadirachtin concentrations. Concerning susceptibility of different developmental stages, young larvae were the most sensitive. Foliar treatment was the most efficient, with 100% mortality for all three larval stages at high concentrations (10 ml/l of NeemAzal T/S) compared with 78–87% mortality with soil treatment (at 3.0 g/l NeemAzalU). The findings are discussed in the context of integrated control of WF in protected cultivation environments in the humid tropics.     

Search for effective natural enemies of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetranychus evansi</Emphasis> (Acari: Tetranychidae) in northwest Argentina

The mite Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Tetranychidae) probably originated in South America. Because of its importance as a tomato pest in Africa, an extensive project has been conducted to detect potentially effective natural enemies in South America for the classical biological control of the pest in Africa. A search for the natural enemies of T. evansi was conducted in the Province of Tucumán, northwestern Argentina, in December 2004, and this report describes the results. One hundred predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae referring to 11 species were collected on 11 examined species of solanaceous plants. The most abundant phytoseiid species collected were Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and Euseius concordis (Chant). Adults and immatures of those species, as well as of Neoseiulus idaeus Denmark & Muma, Phytoseiulus fragariae Denmark & Schicha and Proprioseiopsis cannaensis (Muma) were found in association with T. evansi, suggesting that they were developing on the pest. However, because of the possible biological differences between populations of a given species, biological studies evaluating T. evansi as a prey for those predators seem desirable.     

Effect of Time of Spraying of Fungicide and Foliar Nutrient on Soybean Powdery Mildew

With the objective of determining the effects of initial infection level (% leaf area infected, % l.a.i.) at the time of fungicide and foliar nutrient application for the control of powdery mildew, a study was carried out under greenhouse conditions at Embrapa Soja, Londrina, P.R. The fungicide tebuconazole (100 g a.i./ha/application) and sulphur fungicide (2.0 kg a.i./ha/application), sprayed at 20, 30, 40 and 50% l.a.i. (growth stages V3 and V5, between R5.1 and R5.3), and three applications (at V3, V4 and R5.1, beginning at 20% l.a.i.) of tebuconazole were compared with sulphur foliar nutrient (sulphur at the dose of 125 g a.i./ha/application). The highly susceptible BR‐16 cultivar was used in a completely randomized design with 11 treatments, five replications (pots) and five plants per pot. The parameters evaluated were: % l.a.i., % yellowing leaf when the control reached growth stage R7.2 (between 50 and 75% yellow/mature leaves), % defoliation (% defol.) when the control plants reached R8.2 (pre‐harvest maturity), number of pods and seeds and seed weight (s.w.) per plant. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was determined based on disease progress. The % l.a.i. and AUDPC of the control (98% and 65.41) differed from other treatments (3.5–64.2% l.a.i. and 13.57–40.59 AUDPC). The % l.a.i. for the sulphur fungicide treatment (41.9–64.2%) and sulphur foliar nutrient (49.8%) were greater than for tebuconazole (3.5–28%). The % defol. of the control (90%) differed from tebuconazole applied at 30% initial infection (48%), with three applications (45%), and from sulphur foliar nutrient (47%). The s.w./plant of the control (2.23 g) was lower than that of tebuconazole treated at 40% IL (3.03 g) and at 20% IL (3.35 g) and for sulphur foliar nutrient (3.7 g). The initial disease severity (20–50% l.a.i.) did not affect the level of powdery mildew control and the sulphur foliar fertilizer resulted in greater number and higher s.w./plant.     

Side-effects of pesticides on the life cycle of the mite pathogenic fungus Neozygites floridana

The tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard, is an invasive species in Africa causing considerable damage to Solanaceous crops. The fungal pathogen Neozygites floridana Weiser and Muma from Brazil has been considered a potential candidate for introduction into Africa for the control of T. evansi. To be incorporated in the tomato production system, N. floridana has to be compatible with the pesticides used for the control of other pests and diseases. Pesticides used in tomatoes that might affect the fungus were therefore studied by the use of different methods. Two insecticides (Lambda-cyhalothrin and Methomyl), two acaricides (Propargite and Abamectin), and two fungicides (Captan and Mancozeb) were tested in two concentrations: the mean commercial rate (CR) and 50% of the mean commercial rate (CR/2). Fungus-killed mite cadavers or the substrates used for sporulation (leaf discs and coverslips) were either immersed or sprayed with the pesticides before testing their effects on sporulation, germination of primary conidia and infectivity of N. floridana. Direct immersion of cadavers, coverslips or leaf discs into pesticides affected sporulation and germination stronger than the spray tower method, although infectivity of capilliconidia was neither affected by the method of application nor the concentration of the pesticides. The fungicides Captan and Mancozeb resulted in a high reduction in sporulation and germination at both concentrations. Propargite did not inhibit sporulation but affected germination of primary conidia. Methomyl and Abamectin resulted in less effects on N. floridana.     

Activity and residual effect of two formulations of lambdacyhalothrin sprayed on palm leaves to Rhodnius prolixus

The insecticidal activity and residual effect of two formulations of lambdacyhalothrin were evaluated with Rhodnius prolixus; laboratory and field tests were conducted in the State of Chiapas, Mexico. The results indicate that the lethal concentrations of the active ingredient of SC (LC50 = 2.37 and LC90 = 8.5 mg, a.i./m2) were 4-8 times than those with the insecticide WP applied on R. prolixus bugs in palm leaves, a common building material for thatched roofs. Other investigators in South America recommended applying 30 mg a.i./m2 in porous materials; we obtained that the products WP and SC were 3.5 and 16 times more effective on palm leaves. Regarding the evaluation of the residual effects in field spraying, there was up to 15 months persistence after the application of WP in two doses (8.6 mg a.i./m2 and 3.752 mg a.i./m2) with SC. We consider R. prolixus highly susceptible to the employed pyrethroids; they could be used to control this vector in the state of Chiapas, Mexico.     

The effect of Benlate and cytokinins on the content of tobacco mosaic virus in tomato leaf disks and cucumber mosaic virus in cucumber cotyledon disks and seedlings

Tomato leaf disks were inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and floated for 7 days on solutions of kinetin and benzyladenine in the range 20-0-002 mg/1. Virus content was reduced at the higher and increased at the lower concentrations. Benlate and benomyl showed a peak of cytokinin activity in the Amaranthus betacyanin bioassay equivalent to c. 0–002 fig/l kinetin. At concentrations above 25 and 100 mg a.i./l for Benlate and benomyl respectively, both compounds increased the TMV content of tomato leaf disks. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) content in cucumber cotyledon disks was increased by Benlate and benomyl treatment (50–100 mg/1). Applied as a soil drench (50–500 mg a.i./l) when the plants were inoculated, Benlate increased the CMV content of infected seedlings. The number of starch-iodide lesions (a measure of susceptibility) was unaltered in cotyledons treated with Benlate 7 days before or immediately after inoculation. Infectivity of crude infective cucumber sap was unaffected by benomyl incorporation, whereas Benlate reduced infectivity at higher concentrations (1000–5000 mg/1). Under the experimental conditions described, Benlate, benomyl, benzyladenine and kinetin had no effect on the chlorophyll content of tomato leaf disks, and intact seedlings.     

Side-effects of three neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) products on the predator Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner (Het., Miridae)

The side-effects of three neem formulations (Neem-Amin EC, Stardoor and B.P. 20/S) were tested on the mirid predator Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner in the laboratory. Direct toxicity tests on 1st instar nymphs exposed to fresh dry residues on glass plates at different doses demonstrated that all the products are harmful to the insects with LD₅₀ values much lower than the maximum recommended rate (1.217, 0.264, 1.083 mg a.i./l instead of 15, 31.5 and 80 mg a.i./l for Neem-Amin EC, Stardoor and B.P. 20/S, respectively). Moreover a reduction of fecundity of the surviving females was assessed with Neem-Amin EC and B.P. 20/S. Persistence tests were carried out on sharp pepper plants treated at the maximum recommended rate. High mortality was recorded when the insects were introduced onto the plants just after the treatment, but no significant differences compared with the controls were observed 5 days after the treatment and any consequence on the fecundity of surviving females was detected. Our experiments showed how azadirachtin can be noxious to M. caliginosus , but the short persistence makes this active ingredient a promising solution in integrated pest management programmes, when a lapse of time is guaranteed between the treatment and the introduction of the predator.     

Some effects of differently-acting nematicides on the cereal cyst-nematode (Heterodera avenae) and on the appearance of ''scorch'' in spring wheat on light loamy sand

In fungitoxicity tests against Phytophthora cinnamomi on Chamaecyparis lawsoniana cv. Ellwoodii, a drench of furalaxyl (1000 mg a.i./l) applied to the compost in which 1-yr-old plants were growing, 1 wk before they were inoculated with 650 000 zoospores, controlled disease for at least 12 months. With an inoculum dose of 650 zoospores/plant, furalaxyl at 500 mg a.i./l controlled disease even when inoculation was 12 wk after fungicide treatment. Aluminium tris (ethyl phosphonate) (2000 mg a.i./l) applied as a drench 1 wk before inoculation with 650 000 zoospores/plant did not prevent root infection but delayed foliar symptoms for 9 months: the same treatment, using etridiazole (500 mg a.i./l) only slightly reduced disease incidence. When applied as a single drench 2 days before inoculation, prothiocarb (2000 mg a.i./l) and cuprammonium compounds (200 mg a.i./l) were much less effective than furalaxyl (1200 mg a.i./l), sodium ethyl phosphonate (1500 mg a.i./l), aluminium tris (ethyl phosphonate) (1500 mg a.i./l) or etridiazole (500 mg a.i./l). However, a drench of furalaxyl at 1000 mg a.i./l, aluminium tris (ethyl phosphonate) at 2000 mg a.i./l or etridiazole at 500 mg'a.i./l did not eradicate P. cinnamomi from compost containing infected root debris. Pre-planting drenching of the compost was ineffective. All fungicide treatments were non-phototoxic to 1-yr-old C. lawsoniana cv. Ellwoodii. These results are of special relevance to the control of P. cinnamomi on container-grown woody ornamentals.     

Enhanced Nematicidal Activity of Organic and Inorganic Ammonia-Releasing Amendments by Azadirachta indica Extracts

The nematicidal activities of ammonium sulfate, chicken litter and chitin, alone or in combination with neem (Azadirachta indica) extracts were tested against Meloidogyne javanica. Soil application of these amendments or the neem extracts alone did not reduce the root galling index of tomato plants or did so only slightly, but application of the amendments in combination with the neem extracts reduced root galling significantly. Soil analysis indicated that the neem extract inhibited the nitrification of the ammonium released from the amendments and extended the persistence of the ammonium concentrations in the soil. In microplot experiments, tomato plants were grown in pots filled with soils from the treated microplots. The galling indices of tomato plants grown in soil treated with ammonium sulfate or chicken litter in combination with the neem extract or a chemical nitrification inhibitor were far lower than those of plants grown in the control soil or in soil treated with chicken litter, neem extract or nitrification inhibitor alone. However, plants grown in the microplots showed only slight reductions in galling, probably because the soil amendments were inadequately mixed compared to their application in the pot experiments. The extended exposure of nematodes to ammonia as a result of nitrification inhibition by the neem extracts appeared to be the cause of the enhanced nematicidal activity of the ammonia-releasing amendments.     

Seed treatment and soil drench with dl-β-amino butyric acid for the suppression of Meloidogyne javanica on tomato

Due to the recent environmental concerns, increasing amounts of research have been diverted to investigating natural products for the control of nematodes. dl-β-Amino butyric acid (BABA) could play a part in limiting nematode damage to plants. In this study, different concentrations of BABA were used as soil drench and seed treatment to determine if they can control Meloidogyne javanica on tomato. In an in vitro test, BABA did not impair mobility of second-stage juveniles of the nematode but 10 and 25 mg/l concentrations reduced hatch. Both of the application methods tested (drenching soil and/or pre-treating seeds with 25 mg/l of BABA) for the treatment of nematode infested tomato plants reduced the numbers of galls and egg masses by 82 %; nematode reproduction rates on these plants were reduced to one and, compared with untreated control plants, final nematode density was decreased by nearly 87 %. Increasing BABA concentrations of the treatment solutions to 200 and 500 mg/l resulted in further reduction in nematode damage and reproduction on treated plants, although the differences between the concentrations were not significant. Compared with untreated tomato, gall and egg mass production were decreased by an average of 92 %, and reproduction rates were held below one by both the 200- and 500-mg/l BABA rates. When seeds pretreated with 25 mg/l were also soil drenched with three BABA concentrations, the effects were slightly greater than when each method was used alone. Treated plants showed slight improvement in growth and weight.     

亚致死剂量溴氰虫酰胺对MED烟粉虱取食行为及传播TYLCV的影响

取食是烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)传播植物病毒最重要的途径之一.本研究利用昆虫刺探电位(EPG)技术研究了杀虫剂溴氰虫酰胺亚致死浓度(LC15)对携带番茄黄化曲叶病毒(TYLCV)MED烟粉虱取食行为和传毒效率的影响.结果表明,溴氰虫酰胺对未携毒和携毒MED烟粉虱的亚致死浓度(LC15)分别...     

Efficacy and persistence of rosemary oil as an acaricide against twospotted spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) on greenhouse tomato

Efficacy of rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis L., essential oil was assessed against twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), as well as effects on the tomato, Lycopersicum esculatum Mill., host plant and biocontrol agents. Laboratory bioassay results indicated that pure rosemary oil and EcoTrol (a rosemary oil-based pesticide) caused complete mortality of spider mites at concentrations that are not phytotoxic to the host plant. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot is less susceptible to rosemary oil and EcoTrol than twospotted spider mite both in the laboratory and the greenhouse. Rosemary oil repels spider mites and can affect oviposition behavior. Moreover, rosemary oil and rosemary oil-based pesticides are nonpersistent in the environment, and their lethal and sublethal effects fade within 1 or 2 d. EcoTrol is safe to tomato foliage, flowers, and fruit even at double the recommended label rate. A greenhouse trial indicated that a single application of EcoTrol at its recommended label rate could reduce a twospotted spider mite population by 52%. At that rate, EcoTrol did not cause any mortality in P. persimilis nor did it affect their eggs. In general, EcoTrol was found to be a suitable option for small-scale integrated pest management programs for controlling twospotted spider mites on greenhouse tomato plants.     

新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂对四种赤眼蜂成蜂急性毒性和安全性评价

为了明确新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂对天敌赤眼蜂Trichogramma spp.的影响, 在室内采用药膜法测定了其对稻螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead、 亚洲玉米螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma ostriniae Pang et Chen、 拟澳洲赤眼蜂Trichogramma confusum Viggiani和广赤眼蜂Trichogramma evanescens Westwood成蜂的急性毒性, 并进行了安全性评价。急性毒性测定结果表明： 在测定的新烟碱类药剂中, 噻虫嗪对拟澳洲赤眼蜂和稻螟赤眼蜂表现出最高的急性毒性, 其LC₅₀分别为0.24 (0.21~0.27) 和0.40 (0.37~0.44) mg a.i./L; 其次为烯啶虫胺, 该药剂对上述两种赤眼蜂的LC₅₀分别为0.83 (0.74~0.96) 和0.72 (0.65~0.80) mg a.i./L; 而吡虫啉对亚洲玉米螟赤眼蜂和拟澳洲赤眼蜂的毒性最低, 其LC₅₀分别为502.13 (459.80~549.62)和752.62 (687.51~828.63) mg a.i./L。在测定的大环内酯类药剂中, 阿维菌素对稻螟赤眼蜂的急性毒性最高, 其LC₅₀为0.49 (0.46~0.65) mg a.i./L, 而甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐对拟澳洲赤眼蜂表现出最低的急性毒性, 其LC₅₀为21.76 (19.59~24.40) mg a.i./L。安全性评价结果表明, 吡虫啉、 啶虫脒、 氯噻啉和甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐对4种赤眼蜂为低风险~中等风险性, 安全性系数为0.57~23.54; 噻虫啉和依维菌素对4种赤眼蜂却为中等风险~高风险性, 安全性系数为0.16~3.45; 而烯啶虫胺、 噻虫嗪和阿维菌素对4种赤眼蜂为高风险~极高风险性, 安全性系数为0.01~0.15。本研究测定的大部分杀虫剂对赤眼蜂都有一定的急性毒性风险。因此, 在害虫综合治理中应谨慎使用新烟碱类和大环内酯类杀虫剂尤其是烯啶虫胺、 噻虫嗪和阿维菌素, 以免造成对赤眼蜂的大量杀伤。     

Tebufenpyrad: compatibility with integrated mite control on apples

Successful integrated mite control (IMC) depends on the availability of acaricides which act selectively on pest mites with minimal effects on predators. Laboratory bioassays of tebufenpyrad against adult female Panonychus ulmi (Koch) provided baseline toxicity data and showed it to be highly active. Bioassays also showed tebufenpyrad was toxic to the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten but it was approximately 70 times less toxic to the predators than to P. ulmi at the lc ₅₀. Field trials using four concentrations of tebufenpyrad (10, 7.5, 5 and 2.5 g a.i./100 l) confirmed it was selectively more toxic to the pest mites than to predators and showed that it is compatible with IMC. It is suggested that a concentration of 5 g a.i./100 l would be suitable for IMC. A resistance management strategy for tebufenpyrad is proposed.     

A herbivore that manipulates plant defence

Phytopathogens and herbivores induce plant defences. Whereas there is evidence that some pathogens suppress these defences by interfering with signalling pathways involved in the defence, such evidence is scarce for herbivores. We found that the invasive spider mite Tetranychus evansi suppresses the induction of the salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signalling routes involved in induced plant defences in tomato. This was reflected in the levels of inducible defence compounds, such as proteinase inhibitors, which in mite-infested plants were reduced to even lower levels than the constitutive levels in herbivore-free plants. Additionally, the spider mite suppressed the release of inducible volatiles, which are implicated in plant defence. Consequently, the mites performed much better on previously attacked plants than on non-attacked plants. These findings provide a new perspective on plant-herbivore interactions, plant protection and plant resistance to invasive species.     

Bioactivity of neem, Azadirachta indica, against spittlebug Mahanarva fimbriolata (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) on sugarcane

The effect of neem, Azadirachta indica A. Juss, on some biological parameters of Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stil) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) was studied in the laboratory by using NeemAzal-T/S, Nimkol-LS, and an aqueous neem seed extract. Initially, the LC,, was estimated for nymphs. Later, nymphs fed on sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L., roots were sprayed with the respective LC,, for each product. The adults were maintained in cages on sugarcane plants sprayed at the base with the maximum rate recommended commercially for the crop (3 liter/ha). Moistened cotton discs surrounding the base of the plant were used as oviposition substrates. The LCso values estimated for NeemAzal, Nimkol, and aqueous extract were 0.014, 0.225, and 0.611%, respectively. There was a reduction in spittlebug longevity, regardless of sex, in relation to the control. Males exposed to the neem products, and aqueous extract showed longevity reductions of approximately 50%, whereas for females the reductions were 55-60%. The neem products and extract reduced fecundity by 75-85%. Morphological and physiological changes were observed in 9% of the eggs from individuals submitted to NeemAzal. Neem-based products, especially NeemAzal, have potential for the control of M. fimbriolata.     

Effect of temperature on virulence of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae isolates to Tetranychus evansi

The virulence of three isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and 23 isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnik.) Sorok. (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) against the tomato spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae), was assessed in the laboratory. The effect of temperature on germination, radial growth and virulence of selected isolates (two isolates of B. bassiana and nine of M. anisopliae) on T. evansi was also investigated in the laboratory. All the fungal isolates tested were pathogenic to the adult females of T. evansi, and there were significant differences in mortality between fungal isolates. The lethal time to 50% mortality (LT(50)) values ranged from 4.2 to 8.1 days and the LT(90) values from 5.6 to 15.1 days. Temperature had significant effects on germination, radial growth and virulence of the various isolates. The best fungal germination was observed at 25 and 30 degrees C, while for the fungal radial growth it was 30 degrees C. All the isolates germinated and grew at all temperatures, but germination and radial growth varied with isolate and temperature. The selected isolates were all virulent to T. evansi, but virulence varied also with isolate and temperature.