<p><strong>Breaking acaricide resistance: </strong><strong>Sustainable strategies for phytophagous mite control with natural and advanced solutions</strong></p>

The phytophagous mite viz., Tetranychus urticae Koch has increasingly developed resistance against 558 acaricides worldwide and threatens crop yield in key agricultural regions, affecting economically important crops such as tomato, strawberry, and citrus which leads to more reliance on chemical control. Hence, global acaricide usage records high levels in mite management. This resistance arises from various mechanisms, including genetic mutations, reduced acaricide uptake, and enhanced detoxification. Such resistance reduces the effectiveness of chemical control and necessitates alternative strategies. This review summarizes current resistant management strategies for phytophagous mites, focusing on both conventional and innovative approaches. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies emphasize the importance of integrating chemical, biological, and cultural control methods to slow down the development of resistance. Secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms, plants, and fungi offer promising natural solutions for controlling mite populations, with a broad spectrum of action. These compounds help to delay resistance by reducing reliance on chemical treatments while maintaining effective mite control. Also, natural biological control agents, such as insect predators, predatory mites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses have shown good potential for pest control. Additionally, plant-derived compounds provide an eco-friendly alternative, with multi-target effects on mite physiology. Advanced strategies, such as oligonucleotide acaricides, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and RNA interference, have demonstrated promising results in laboratory studies for combating acaricide resistance, although their practical success and widespread application in field conditions remain under investigation. These strategies offer concrete opportunities to significantly reduce chemical pesticide reliance, effectively mitigate acaricide resistance, and enhance the sustainability and resilience of global crop production systems, thereby contributing to safer and more environmentally responsible agricultural practices.