Establishment of the neotropical predator Amblyseius idaeus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Benin,West Africa |
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| Authors: | J S Yaninek B Mégevand G J de Moraes F Bakker A Braun H R Herren |
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| Institution: | 1. Biological Control Programme , International Institute of Tropical Agriculture , Cotonou, BP 08–0932, Republic of Benin;2. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária , Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Defesa da Agriculture , C. Postal 69, Jaguariúna, S.P, 13820, Brazil;3. Department of Experimental and Applied Ecology , University of Amsterdam , The Netherlands;4. Cassava Programme , Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical , Apartado Aereo 6713, Cali, Colombia |
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| Abstract: | Populations of the phytoseiid predator Amblyseius(=Neoseiulus) idaeus (Denmark & Muma) from northeastern Brazil, have been successfully introduced into Benin, West Africa, as part of a classical biological control campaign to control the exotic cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar). Monthly follow‐up surveys revealed the presence of A. idaeus in most release sites. Some populations have persisted for at least 18 months, including two cycles of potentially limiting wet and dry season conditions. In some sites A. idaeus has been the numerically dominant phytoseiid predator on cassava Manihot esculenta, where it is associated with the tetranychids M. tanajoa and Oligonychus gossypii Zacher. During periods of low M. tanajoa densities A. idaeus disappeared from cassava, but were found on weeds with O. gossypii until prey densities on cassava increased. |
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| Keywords: | biological control cassava tetranychids phytoseiids establishment West Africa |
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