Relative differences in yield for strawberry (Fragaria xananassa Duch.) genotypes are stable over differing levels of infestation by twospotted spidermites (Tetranychus urticae Koch.)

摘要

Eighteen strawberry genotypes from the University of California's breeding population were evaluated over two years for yield and fruit size with complete, partial, and no control of natural infestation by Tetranychus urticae Koch. The numbers of mites per leaf accumulated for the entire season or counted at peak infestation, and the number of mite-days accumulated for the season for partial control treatments were 31.7% to 44.0% of corresponding values realized for uncontrolled infestation, and values differed significantly between treatments for all three variables. Yields for the no-control and partial-control treatments averaged 81.6% and 85.0% of the yields obtained with complete spidermite suppression for the 2 trial years; fruit sizes were 95.1% and 92.0% for corresponding comparisons. Yield and fruit size differed significantly between the complete-control treatment and any level of infestation, but statistically significant differences between partial and complete mite control treatments were detected only for fruit size in a single year. Analysis of variance demonstrated significant or highly significant variation due to control level, genotype, and their interactions for both yield and fruit size, but resolution of variance components demonstrated that genetic x treatment interactions explained just 0% to 8% of the phenotypic variance for yield and fruit size in a 2-year evaluation. Genotypic variances, those reflecting genetic effects that were stable across treatments, were at least 9.3 times as large as interaction variances for these traits. There appears to be no evidence for partial resistance that might be expressed at intermediate levels of spidermite infestation.