Responses of the Two-Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Predatory Mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to Some Pesticides

Trial was carried out under laboratory conditions to evaluate the responses of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) as a Turkish strain against some pesticides, which were selected from different groups. The responses (mortality, sensitivity) of mite populations against pesticides were estimated by calculating the median Lethal Concentration (LC50). According to LC50 values, toxicity of pesticides to the adult of two-spotted spider mite showed that bifenthrin was the highest toxic than dimethoate and hexythiazox in order. The predatory mite, P. persimilis was more sensitive than T. urticae against bifenthrin and dimethoate. Toxicity of bifenthrin and dimethoate was classified as a harmful effect according to IOBC toxicity classes. Hexythiazox was the least toxic than the other pesticides and was evaluated as harmless after 24 hours and moderately harmful after 72 hours to P. persimilis. For this reason, hexythiazox is suggested to be suitable in IPM program and ensure the preservation of predatory strains into local agroecosystem