Acarofauna in physic nut culture and associated spontaneous weeds

The objective of this work was to identify mites in physic nut culture, and in associated spontaneous weed species. For this, mite richness and abundance on physic nut plants and on 14 species of associated spontaneous weeds were evaluated. Samplings were done with monthy collections of leaves from physic nut plants and from weeds, between planting lines. Four species of predatory mites – Amblyseius tamatavensis, Paraphytoseius multidentatus, Typhlodromalus aripo and Typhlodromalus clavicus –, with potential for biological control of pest mites on physic nut culture, and two species of phytophagous mites – Brevipalpus phoenicis and Tarsonemus confusus –, not yet known as pests of the culture were found. Among the evaluated spontaneous weeds, four species – Hyptis suaveolens, Peltaea riedelii, Urochloa mutica and Andropogon gayanus – harbor great richness and abundance of predatory mites, whereas eight harbored a high diversity of phytophagous mites.