ارزیابی اثرات مکمل‌های غذایی مختلف بر فراسنجه‌های زیستی کنه‌ شکارگر Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) در برنامه‌های پروش انبوه

The predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), is one of the most important predators of the family Phytoseiidae. In the present study, the effects of different nutrient compounds on the biological parameters of this predatory mite were investigated under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 1 °C, relative humidity of 65 ± 5 % and a light period of 16 h, feeding immature stages of Tetranyshus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychida). In all experiments, a Complete Randomized Design was followed. The results obtained were analyzed by One-way ANOVA (P < 0.05) and statistical software of SAS (ver. 9.1.3). For designing an artificial diet, in the first step, the possible effects of different pollen types including “Date-Palm”, “Maize” and “pollen collected from honey bee [Flower]” and their mix (“Date-Palm + Maize”, “Date-Palm + Flower”, “Maize + Flower” and “Date-Palm + Maize + Flower”) on the biological parameters of N. californicus were investigated. The highest value of mean total fecundity was recorded at “Maize + Flower” (19.87 egg). Accordingly, this supplementary pollen was selected as the best mix and the effects of different vitamins (i.e., “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E” and “K”) in combination with this pollen mix were evaluated on the total predation and fecundity of predatory mite N. californicus. The results obtained revealed that the highest recorded value for total predation and fecundity were recorded at “B” vitamin (165.42 prey and 17.17 egg, respectively). In the last step, effects of “Soybean meal”, “Egg white protein” and “Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA)” as reach resources of protein in combination with the best mix of pollen (“Mize + Flower”) and vitamin (“B”) on the biological parameters of N. californicus were investigated. The results obtained revealed that by adding “Soybean meal”, total predation and fecundity of predatory mite N. californicus were significantly increased (128.15 prey and 12.81 egg, respectively). Finally, the effects of artificial diet designed in the present study on the total predation and fecundity of N. califronicus were compared with those estimated in control treatment. Our findings revealed a noticeable increase in total predation (141.38 prey) and fecundity (12.00 egg) of predatory mites on the designed artificial diet in comparison with control (128.53 prey and 11.58 egg, respectively). These findings could facilitate mass-rearing programs of predatory mite N. californicus and also will reduce the costs of its augmentation programs under insectary conditions.