TEMPORAL RESPONSE OF DIFFERENT APPLE CULTIVARS TO DIFFERENT PEST MITE COMPLEX AND THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES IN SWAT VALLEY OF KPK PROVINCE

A 2-year study was carried out to evaluate population density of pest mite complex and theirnatural enemies on eight most commonly cultivated and commercial apple cultivars viz. Red Delicious, Red Chief, Royal Gala, Mondial Gala, Summer Red, Fuji, Jonica and Jona Gored under field conditions in Swat valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The highest average infestation of two spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch), European Red Mite Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Tetranychidae), Aculus schlechtendali (Nalepa) (Eriophyidae) and Cenopalpus pulcher Canestrini and Fanzago (Tenipalpidae) was 14.08, 11.93, 4.62 and3.72 mites per leaf, respectively on Red Delicious. The highest average population of mite predators Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) (Phytoseiidae), Zetzellia mali (Ewing) (Stigmaeidae) and Orthotydeus spp. (Oudmans) (Tydeidae) associated with the phytophagous mites of apple, was 2.21, 1.56, 0.98 mites per leaf leaf. Similarly, the highest average population density of insect predators, Stethorus gilvifrons (Mulsant) (Coccinellidae), Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neutoptera, Chrysopidae) associated with the same mite pest complex was 1.14, 0.75 and 0.44 insects per leaf on Red Delicious apple variety. In contrast, the cultivar Mondial Gala recorded the lowest infestation of the mite pests, T. urticae, P. ulmi, A. schlechtendali and C. pulcher, enumerated as 4.53, 4.16, 1.73 and 1.55 mites leaf-1, respectively. The lowest average population of mite predators, P. persimilis, Z. mali (Ewing) and O. spp. was 0.77, 0.63 and 0.26 leaf^1 and of insect predators, S. gilvifrons,S. sexmaculatus and C. carnea was 0.31, 0.25 and 0.13 leaf^1 recorded on the same apple variety during the entire study period.