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Suitability of different pollen as alternative food for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii (Acari, Phytoseiidae)

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Abstract

The predacious mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot is used as a biological control agent against various pests in greenhouses. Pollen offered as supplementary food is reported to improve their fast establishment and performance. However, the nutritional suitability of different pollens for A. swirskii is not sufficiently known yet. Pollens of 21 plant species were offered to the mites as exclusive food during preimaginal development. Preimaginal mortality and developmental time have been assessed, followed by a life-table analysis of the emerged adults and a calculation of demographic parameters. Amblyseius swirskii can feed exclusively on pollen, but the nutritional value of the pollens differed significantly. Pollens of Lilium martagon and Hippeastrum sp. were toxic, causing 100 % preimaginal mortality, probably due to secondary plant compounds. Hibiscus syriacus pollen was absolutely incompatible for the juvenile and adult mites, possibly due to their external morphology, differing from all the other pollens tested and leading to 100 % preimaginal mortality also. Considering all parameters, feeding on Aesculus hippocastanum, Crocus vernus, Echinocereus sp. and Paulownia tomentosa pollens lead to the best performance of the mites. Feeding on most pollens resulted in no or low preimaginal mortality of A. swirskii, but affected significantly developmental time, adult longevity, and reproduction parameters. Commercial bee pollen was not able to improve life-table parameters compared to pure pollen of the plant species. Pollens of Helianthus annuus, Corylus avellana and a Poaceae mix were less suitable as food source and resulted in a poor performance of all tested parameters. Compared with literature data, 18 pollens tested proved to be a similar or better food source than cattail pollen, qualifying A. swirskii as a positively omnivorous type IV species. Pollens of Ricinus communis and Zea mays can be recommended as supplementary food offered as banker plants, and A. hippocastanum and Betula pendula pollen is recommended to be used as dispersible pollen in greenhouses.

Graphical Abstract

Pollen grains after feeding by A. swirskii females (a—Hibiscus; b—Horse chestnut; c—Narcissus; d—Ricinus; e—Tulip; f—A. swirskii chelicers).

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Sandra Gerken for her substantial contribution to SEM–photographs and to Elena Vogel (both at the Institute of Phytomedicine, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany) for her help with mite breeding. We are also grateful to Erica Rücker and Bärbel Rassow (Institute of Botany, University of Hohenheim) for their expert help with the SEM-studies. This study was in part supported by a PhD grant from the European Commission Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window (IAMONET-RU). Our sincere thanks also go to the reviewers for their highly appreciated comments on the first version of our manuscript.

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  1. Institute of Phytomedicine, University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Irina Goleva & Claus P. W. Zebitz

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  1. Irina Goleva
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  2. Claus P. W. Zebitz
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Correspondence to Claus P. W. Zebitz.

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Goleva, I., Zebitz, C.P.W. Suitability of different pollen as alternative food for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii (Acari, Phytoseiidae). Exp Appl Acarol 61, 259–283 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-013-9700-z

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