تاثیر ترکیبات فرآوری شده بر ویژگی های زیستی کنه شکارگر(Acari: Phytoseiidae) Amblyseius swirskii از طریق طعمه آزمایشگاهی

Control of pests in greenhouses has become a challenging issue due to the favorable conditions for their growth, and biological control of these pests as a safe and cost-effective method has gained special attention. The predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot is an efficient biological control agent, and the ability to rear it on factitious prey is considered a major advantage in mass production of this predator. The quality of factitious prey is influenced by its diet, so dietary supplements have an impact on the different life stages and performance of the predatory mite. In this study, the effect of two processed animal-based supplements, including powdered milk and whey protein powder, on the biological performance of the predatory mite through enhancing the quality of the factitious prey, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) in comparison with its basic diet of wheat flour and bran, was investigated under laboratory conditions. The findings of this research indicated that although the presence of dietary supplements did not cause a significant difference in the adult longevity, the pre-adult period significantly decreased in both supplements (powdered milk 7.71days and whey protein powder 8.07 days) compared to the basic diet (10.62 days). Furthermore, the results showed an increase in the net reproductive rate in the processed animal dietary supplement of powdered milk (11.80 eggs/female) compared to the basic diet (9.71 eggs/female). The present study demonstrated that the prey enhanced with powdered milk can significantly increase the performance of the predatory mite. These findings indicated that these kinds of supplements can be used in the mass production of A. swirskii for pest control in sustainable agricultural systems.