Growth inhibition of the predacious mite, Amblyseius brazilli by a synthetic juvenile hormone under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The predacious miteAmblyseius brazilli El-Banhawy was exposed to the synthetic juvenile hormone methoprene to see the biological differences resulting from the application of the compound and its toxicity. Methoprene was applied as leaf residues or incorporated with the diet (pollen or prey). By contact methoprene was less toxic. Only at the highest concentration (1000p pm) the number of individuals reaching maturity, the percentage of survival and the number of eggs decreased while the duration of the developing individuals increased. The compound was more effective when injested. Feeding on pollen mixed with 100p pm methoprene block the development of all the individuals and a negligible number of eggs was laid. A diet containing 10p pm methoprene permitted a percentage of the individuals to reach maturity and oviposit. The survival and reproduction of the females fed on a diet containing 10p pm methoprene were also low. All the delivered eggs hatched under the different treatments, which indicates that methoprene did not interrupt the hatching process.