Influence of Plant Surface on Biological Aspects of Cydnoseius negevi (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The study aimed to evaluate the comparison effect of leaf structure of the four different host plant species, eggplant (Solanum melongena L), hipiscus (Hipiscus rosa chinenses Lin.), lemon (Citrus limon),and green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on development and reproduction of the predatory mite Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski and Amitai) fed on date palm pollen. There were significant differences in the characteristics of leaf trichomes and domatia of the tested plants. The phytoseiid mite, C. negevi successfully developed to adulthood and completed its life span on all four tested plant species. The duration of female immature stages of C. negevi fed on date palm pollen was the shortest when mites was reared on green bean leaves with only 4.75 days, while those kept on citrus leaves had the longest pre-oviposition period (5.80 days) and the shortest oviposition period (8.80 days).Total fecundity was highest on green bean (40.70 eggs/female) and lowest on citrus leaves(13.75 eggs/ female).The net reproductive rate (Ro),which is the total number of females born in two successive generations was 8.80 when mites were reared on citrus leaves, 10.15 on hibiscus, 15.08 on eggplant, while it reached 16.68 on green bean leaves. Also, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.107, 0.113, 0.127 and 0.161 female/female/day when mites were reared on the same previous host plants, respectively. In conclusion, among the four host plant species, green bean leaf was the most favorable host substrate to rear the predatory mite, while citrus was the worst one for the development and reproduction of C. negevi.