Chemosterilant Treatment of Two Greenhouse Spider Mites

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Abstract
Untreated females of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus telarius (L.), mated with males dipped in 0.5% apholate in alcohol-water solution, produced male progeny and dead eggs but no female progeny. Females exposed to 2% apholate dip produced no viable eggs and assumed the distinctive translucency of body content and disappearance of 2 dark pigmented spots typical of apholate sterilization. When supplied 10 virgin females, apholate-treated and normal males mated with an average of 3.6 and 6.4 females, respectively. Adult females, allowed to feed on plant foliage previously dipped in 1% aqueous apholate, ceased ovipositing after a few days and became sterile. Most adult males, fed for 24 hr on apholate-treated foliage, were sterilized. When compared with untreated females, females allowed to feed on residues and then mated with normal males laid fewer eggs that produced fewer male and fewer female progeny as well as numerous dead eggs. Some female progeny of treated females but not of treated males developed apholate-sterile characters even though reared from eggs laid on untreated foliage. Apholate residues on foliage persisted for at least 4 days. In tests to determine prevention of population buildup, 3 resistant strains and 1 nonresistant strain of T. telarius and the nonresistant T. cinnabarinus (Boisduval) were allowed to feed on treated plants. Susceptibility of T. cinnabarinus and the 4 strains of telarius to apholate varied only slightly.

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