Agricultural Acarology: Introduction to Integrated Mite Management PDF

Preface

Many biologists are intimidated by the thought of working with mites or ticks, in part because they are so small relative to insects that they require specialized monitoring and handling methods. Furthermore, identifying mites can be a daunting task, requiring specialized clearing and slidemounting methods, new terminology, and complex keys. Unfortunately, compared to insects, mites have relatively few morphological traits that allow easy identification; mites lack antennae, wings, and other easy-to-see morphological traits for discriminating among families, genera, and species. Yet, the ability to work with pest mites in agriculture is essential, although it is becoming increasingly difficult because fewer and fewer courses in acarology are being taught in universities, and fewer and fewer taxonomists are available to assist in mite identifications.

The goal of this book is to provide pest-control workers and students with the tools to manage mite pests of agriculture using the concepts of integrated pest management (IPM), so mite management becomes an integrated effort rather than one based largely on chemical control. Another goal is to emphasize how knowing the biology, ecology, and behavior of pest and beneficial mites (and some beneficial insects) in agricultural systems will allow IPM-based methods to be developed. An emphasis is placed on using biological control and other management tools that are compatible with biological control whenever possible.

A look at the Contents reveals the diversity of information provided. Readers will learn to discriminate between mites and other arthropods and will be introduced to the tactics used in agricultural pest management programs for mites, in addition to basic information on the biology, behavior, and ecology of key mite species in crop-based agriculture. The focus is on biological control, including a review of the biology, behavior, and ecology of important natural enemies (predatory insects, predatory mites, spiders, and pathogens) of pest mites in crops. The various approaches used to manage pest mites are discussed, including their advantages and limitations. The photographs in the text and on the accompanying CD will aid in the use of a dissecting microscope to identify the life stages of plant-pest mites and phytoseiids. Also provided are summaries of several model cropping systems and the reasons for deploying specific IPM tactics in each. The biology and impact of pest mites on honey bees and their management are discussed, in addition to the mites and ticks that affect farm animals and management of mite pests in stored products and households.

Selected references are cited that provide an entry into the literature for each topic and, when feasible, review articles are cited. I apologize to those acarologists whose excellent papers are not cited. A full list of relevant references would be very long; for example, the number of references published between 1970 and 1992 just on the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis includes at least 450 papers.

The accompanying CD contains supplementary information, including numerous color photographs of mites and the damage they cause and PDFs of key publications. Websites change rapidly, so only a few are listed, despite the fact that many useful sites offer accurate information and excellent photographs.

The overview of agricultural acarology focuses on integrated mite management (IMM). Different pest problems require different combinations of tactics in IMM, as demonstrated by the model systems presented. Ideally, these models will be useful for the reader who needs to develop and implement IMM programs in another crop or geographic region. Chemical control and the types of pesticides useful for managing mites and ticks are discussed, although specific recommendations cannot be made, with the exceptions of oil and sulfur, because registrations, pesticide resistances, and legal issues change rapidly. Terms that are in bold are defined in the glossary, and an index provides access to topics and species.