A conspectus of natural enemies of phytophagous mites and mites as potential biocontrol agents of agricultural pests in India

摘要

An analysis of data so far available from India reveals that mites belonging to the families Phytosendae, Cheyletidae. Stigmaeidae, Anystidae, Bdellidae, Erythraeidae, Tydeidae, Cunaxidae, and Ascidae; predatory insects belonging to the Thripidae, Staphylinidae, Anthocoridae, Lygaeidae, Coccinellidae, Hemerobiidae, and Chrysopidae; and fungi belonging to the genera Cladosporium, Neozygites and Hirsutella, are important natural enemies of phytophagous mites of India, and some of these have potentialfor keeping pest mite populations in check. Likewise some mites of the families Acandae. Trombidiidae, Anystidae, Pyemotidae. Erythraeidae, Bdellidae, Phytoseiidae, Laelapidae, Uropodidae, Otopheidomenidae and a few Oribatida are known to feed on or parasitise important insect pests. Three species of Oribatida are known to feed upon nematode pests, while one species each of Oribatida and uropodid mites have been reported to attack molluscan pests. Finally, as many as nine species of mites are known tofeed on noxious weeds, and some can effectively control them. All these are reviewed in this paper, citing the relevant references and giving, wherever possible, their food preference, feeding habits, feeding potentiality, etc, with a view to highlighting promising natural enemies for inclusion in biological control programs in India.