نرخ رشد کنه Carpoglyphus lactis (L.) (Astigmata: Carpoglyphidae) بر روی میوه های خشک

Dry fruit mite Carpoglyphus lactis (L.) (Astigmata: Carpoglyphidae) generally causes damage to sweet storage products with high sugar content, dried fruits, milk products, jam, and honey, and also causes the growth of gray mold fungus (Botrytis cinerea). In the field of biological pest control, the C. lactis mite often serves as an alternative prey for predatory mites of the Phytoseiidae family, such as Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus cucumeris. In this study, the effect of different diets on the growth and development of C. lactis population was investigated. The primary population of C. lactis was isolated from the infected dry fruits of the Hamedan traditional market. The tested treatments were the most common dried fruits available in the market, including apple, apricot, pear, and grape (Shani variety) and control (combination of bakery flour and yeast). The amount of 5 grams of each raw material was placed at the disposal of a colony of 100 adult mites in culture containers under controlled conditions (temperature 25±1°C and relative humidity 85±5%) in an incubator. The test results showed significant differences in the growth rate of different food treatments. The growth rates of C. lactis mite in apricot, pear, apple, grape, and control treatment were 208.49, 187.74, 180.94, 145.28, and 175.45, respectively. In this study, dried apricots and grapes (Shani variety) were selected as the most desirable and weakest food sources for C. lactis breeding, respectively. According to the results of this research, dried apricots are a suitable diet and the preferred choice for growing C. lactis under laboratory conditions.