Factors affecting mite herbivory on eggplants in Brazil

The objective of this study was to determine effects of total rainfall, mean temperature, predators, height of canopy, levels of nitrogen and potassium in leaves, and the density of leaf trichomes on the attack intensity of Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Aculops lycopersici (Acari: Eriophyidae) in five plantations of the eggplant Solanum melongena var. ‘Natu Nobilis’ in two regions of Brazil. Higher numbers of individuals of A. lycopersici, T. evansi and T. urticae/cm² were observed on eggplants in the Municipality of Guidoval than in Viçosa which might be explained by the fact that Guidoval showed hotter and more rainy weather. A. lycopersici was positively correlated with mean temperature (r = 0.54, P = 0.03), and T. evansi was positively correlated with total rainfall (r = 0.54; P = 0.04), while for T. urticae the correlation with total rainfall was almost significant (r = 0.47, P = 0.055). No significant effects were found (P > 0.05) of natural enemies, levels of N and K and leaf trichome density on population densities of mites. A. lycopersici showed higher density on the apical leaves while nymphs and adults of T. evansi and eggs of T. urticae had higher numbers on leaves of the apical and medium parts of eggplants than on the lower leaves. Nymphs and adults of T. urticae showed higher attack intensity on leaves from the medium and lower thirds of the plants.