Rafeek Abboud*(1) Majeda Mofleh(1) Raeed Sbaih(1) and Mohamad Ahmad(2)
(1). Agriculture Research Center in Lattakia, General Commission for Scientific and Agricultural Research, (GCSAR), Lattakia, Syria.
(2).Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Dr. Rafeek Abboud. E-mail: abboud.rafeek@hotmail.com).
Abstract
Citrus Rust Mite (CRM) continues to be a major pest on citrus in the Syrian coast, and other regions of the world. This study aimed to monitor the densities of CRM population dynamic, and survey its natural enemies and study the effect of some acaricides for control CRM on Valencia trees in the Syrian coast. The experiment was conducted in Vlencia trees field in Ciano Research Station, Latakia Agricultural Research Center, Syria. Four acaricides treatments (Fenbutatin-oxid 550 sc, Fenbutatin-oxid 500sc, sulfur 80% and Abamectin 1.8) according to the recommended rates were used, with four replicates per treatment and two trees per replicate, and untreated one as control. The percentage of rusting on fruit surface was estimated. A sample of 20 fruits of each tree was taken to count the mobile stages of CRM using manual microscope (20x) on an area of 1 cm2 of each fruit. Also the natural enemies of CRM were detected. The mobile stages of CRM appeared in mid of July 2013, but in 2014 the appearance was late until mid of august, because of that the Population densities of CRM were lower in 2014 than 2013. This study recorded a new predator belongs to Cecidomyiidae, which feeding on CRM. Densities of CRM decreased significantly in all treatments with acaricides after one week of application during the two seasons. The maximum densities of CRM were achieved in the control treatment after two and five weeks in 2013 and 2014 respectively. In terms of number of the mobile stages of CRM after three weeks of acaricised application, no significant differences were noticed between the treated plots with acaricides, but they differed significantly with the control. Fenbutatin-oxid recorded the lowest number of damaged fruits in 2013, but in 2014 no damaged fruits were recorded in all acaricide treatments, damage in the control treatment. The results shows that all the tested acaricides were affective for controlling CRM on citrus when the application is at early time.
Keywords: Citrus rust mite, Natural enemies, Acaricides.
Full paper in Arabic: دراسة تغيرات كثافة مجتمع حلم صدأ الحمضيات واختبار مجموعة من المبيدات في مكافحته وتسجيل عدو حيوي جديد له في الساحل السوري