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Modelling the potential distribution of the invasive tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae)

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Abstract

Predicting the potential geographical distribution of a species is particularly important for pests with strong invasive abilities. Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard, possibly native to South America, is a spider mite pest of solanaceous crops. This mite is considered an invasive species in Africa and Europe. A CLIMEX model was developed to predict its global distribution. The model results fitted the known records of T. evansi except for some records in dry locations. Dryness as well as excess moisture stresses play important roles in limiting the spread of the mite in the tropics. In North America and Eurasia its potential distribution appears to be essentially limited by cold stress. Detailed potential distribution maps are provided for T. evansi in the Mediterranean Basin and in Japan. These two regions correspond to climatic borders for the species. Mite establishment in these areas can be explained by their relatively mild winters. The Mediterranean region is also the main area where tomato is grown in open fields in Europe and where the pest represents a threat. According to the model, the whole Mediterranean region has the potential to be extensively colonized by the mite. Wide expansion of the mite to new areas in Africa is also predicted. Agricultural issues highlighted by the modelled distribution of the pest are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the colleagues who have contributed with mite records and sampling: P. Caplong (FDGDON, La Réunion), M. Castagnoli (CRA, Firenze), G. Daubigny (IRD-CBGP, Montpellier), M. Ferrero (SupAgro-CBGP, Montpellier), C. H. W. Flechtmann (USP, Piracicaba), I. P. Furtado (Univ, Crato), M. G. C. Gondim (UFRPe, Recife), Y. Guenaoui (Université, Mostaganem), R. Hanna (IITA, Cotonou), E. Hernández-Suárez (ICIA, Canary Islands), K. Leibdi-Grissa (INAT, Tunis), P. Martini (IRF, Sanremo), D. Navia (Embrapa, Brasilia), J. P. Quéré (INRA-CBGP, Montpellier), S. Rapetti (IRF, Sanremo), P. Reynaud (LNPV, Angers), S. Simoni (CRA, Firenze), S. Toledo (EEAOC, Tucuman), F. J. Toroitich (ICIPE, Nairobi). This work has beneficiated from founding of an EGIDE-Picasso 2008—17080QH grant from the French Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et Européennes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus international de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France

    Alain Migeon & Maria Navajas

  2. Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica, Camino de Vera, 14, 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Francisco Ferragut

  3. IRTA, Estació Experimental Agricola Mas Badia, La Tallada d’Empordà, 17134, Girona, Spain

    Lucía Adriana Escudero-Colomar

  4. IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture), P.O. Box 7878, Kampala, Uganda

    Komi Fiaboe

  5. R and D Entomology, Koppert B.V., P.O. Box 155, 2650 AD, Berkel en Rodenrijs, The Netherlands

    Markus Knapp

  6. Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agricola, ESALQ-USP, Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil

    Gilberto J. de Moraes

  7. ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X134, Queenswood, Pretoria, 0121, South Africa

    Eddie Ueckermann

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  1. Alain Migeon
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  2. Francisco Ferragut
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  3. Lucía Adriana Escudero-Colomar
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  4. Komi Fiaboe
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  6. Gilberto J. de Moraes
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  7. Eddie Ueckermann
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Correspondence to Alain Migeon.

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10493_2008_9229_MOESM1_ESM.jpg

Photo 1 Tetranychus evansi: outbreak on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in France, near Nice, October 2007 (JPG 997 kb)

10493_2008_9229_MOESM2_ESM.jpg

Photo 2 Tetranychus evansi: outbreak on eggplant (Solanum melongena) in Canary Isl., Tenerife, October 2006 (JPG 885 kb)

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Migeon, A., Ferragut, F., Escudero-Colomar, L.A. et al. Modelling the potential distribution of the invasive tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae). Exp Appl Acarol 48, 199–212 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-008-9229-8

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