COMPETITIVE DISPLACEMENT OF PANONYCHUS ULMI (ACARINA: TETRANYCHIDAE) BY ACULUS SCHLECHTENDALI (ACARINA: ERIOPHYIDAE) IN APPLE ORCHARDS

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Abstract
Evidence for competitive deplacement of Panonychus ulmi (ERM) from apple trees via Aculus schlechtendali (ARM) by what is thought to be a foliage conditioning mechanism is presented. Previous feeding of ARMs at high and moderate density levels near or below the economic threshold for this phytophagous mite on apple reduced the build-up of the ERM in 3 years of field experiments on Red Delicious trees and during a single season on McIntosh apple foliage. Comparative tests measuring oviposition rates of the ERM on excised apple leaves which had sustained high and low levels of previous rust mite feeding gave results similar to field experiments. The applied aspect of how this interspecific relationship can be managed in the context of an integrated mite management program for apples is discussed.