Mite fauna in blackberry, lemon, apple and blueberry orchards in northern Portugal: composition and diversity based on a point sample

Mite fauna play an important role in ecological balance and biological pest regulation in fruit orchards. This study characterized mite communities associated with blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), lemon (Citrus limon), apple (Malus domestica), and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) in northern Portugal. Sampling was conducted in June 2023 in three orchards per crop. In each orchard, 20 plants were randomly selected and three leaves per plant were collected, totalling 60 leaves per crop. Mites were manually extracted, mounted in Hoyer’s medium, and identified using taxonomic keys. A total of 1,468 mites were collected, with 50.7% from lemon, 37.3% from blackberry, 11.6% from apple, and 0.4% from blueberry. Blackberry showed the highest observed richness (19 species) and a balanced community of predatory and phytophagous mites, with Typhlodromus pyri and Polyphagotarsonemus latus as the dominant predator and phytophagous species, respectively. Tydeus californicus and Brachytydeus formosus predominated in lemon, whereas Amblyseius andersoni was dominant in apple. Blueberry showed very low abundance and richness (two species). Rarefaction, extrapolation, and Hill diversity analyses indicated that blackberry had the highest estimated richness (21 species) and greater evenness, while blueberry represented the most simplified community.