Predator mites Phytoseiulus persimilis

Fungi maintained on media containing sublethal concentrations of trichothedn developed resistance to this fungicide. It is assumed that a trichothecinase enzyme is formed, which inactivates the antibiotic (Sidorova, 1967). From the point of view of environmental protection, trichothedn has no deleterious effect on predator mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis). In a concentration of 0.0001%, it enhances photosynthesis, but at 0.001 % it has an inhibiting effect. It has no residual effect (Petrukhina et al. 1975). 

Upon infestation of lima bean leaves (Phaseolus lunatus) with two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae), induction of ( )-P-ocimene (47) and a homomonoterpene, -4,8-dimethyl-l,3,7-nonatriene, occurs. A homosesquiterpene, (3 , 7 )-4,8,12-trimethyl-l,3,7,ll-tridecatetraene also has been observed (Dicke et al., 1990). These compounds attract another mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis, which is a predator of the two-spotted spider mite, a phenomenon known as indirect defense (Dicke et al., 1990 Takabayashi et al., 1991). When uninfested leaves are placed on moist cotton that had previously come into contact with leaves that had been infested (but had the mites removed), production of these compounds again occurred, providing evidence that induction of these kairomones occurs (Takabayashi et al., 1991). The... 

Comparison of cultivars of ornamental crop Gerbera jamesonii on production of spider mite-induced volatiles, and their attractiveness to the predator Phytoseiulus persimilis. Journal of Chemical Ecology 27 1355-1372. 

---