Low Cost Mass Production Technology for Mite Predators of Spider Mites and Thrips

Phytoseiid mites are efficient predators which are used to control spider mites and other pests. Annual world sales of these mites total approximately $8-10 million. Current production methods for the most commonly used phytoseiid, Phytoseiulus persimilis, use a three component system of plant, pest and predator. These production methods are very labor intensive and require large amounts of space for relatively low production rates. Development of an artificial diet and associated low cost, high volume mass production systems would result in dramatically lower production costs for phytoseiids. In the proposed research project, an artificial diet will be adapted to use for Amblyseius cucumeris, a phytoseiid predator of thrips. A. cucumeris can be cultured on prey or pollen. Other pollen feeding phytoseiids have already been cultured on artificial diets. Production methods which can be taken to large scanel will then be evaluated and optimized with A. cucumeris on artificial diet. The mode of diet presentation will be varied systematically to identify efficient production systems. Feeding through a membrane, encapsulation of diet and proprietary modes of diet presentation will be evaluated.