MONTHLY DYNAMICS AND POPULATION DENSITY OF PHYTOPHAGOUS AND PREDATORY MITE SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH CITRUS ORCHARDS AT MENOUFIA GOVERNORATE

The Population density of mite species inhabiting leaves of six citrus orchard varieties, i.e., Balady orange, Navel orange, Sweet orange, Mandarin, Lime, and Lemon, was determined for two successive years at Menoufia governorate, Egypt. Tetranychus urticae Koch, Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein), Panonychus citri (McGregor), Brevipalpus pheonicis (Geijskes), Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead), Tydeus californicus (Banks, 1904), Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot), and Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) were monthly counted from the beginning of January 2022 till the end of December 2023 at Alshohadaa and Sadat City region, Menoufia governorate. Generally, the most susceptible variety to infestation with phytophagous mites at Alshohadaa was the Navel orange (13%), followed by the Balady orange (12.9%) in both 2022 and 2023. The highest infestation rate with phytophagous mites was recorded with Balady orange (13%) followed by (11.6%) recorded with Navel & Sweet orange. The most susceptible variety to the infestation with phytophagous mites in the Sadat City region was Balady orange during the two successive years.