International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
VK Mattu, Romila Devi

Abstract

Present studies were carried out for the incidence of mites on mountain fruit crops in different localities of Shimla hills of Himachal Pradesh during the year 2009-2010. A total of 21 species of mites belonging to 12 genera spread over 9 families under 3 orders were documented. Of these, 14 species were predatory (66.6%), 5 phytophagous (23.8%), one saprophytic (4.76%) and one species encountered was phoretic and pollen feeder (4.76%). Mite pests of fruit crops comprised 9 species of prostigmatic mites of different feeding habits, 11 species of mesostigmatic mites, predatory in nature and one species of astigmatic mites which were saprophytic in nature. Family Phytoseiidae was the most dominating with 10 species and constituted (47.61%) of the predatory fauna, followed by family Stigmaeidae and Tydeidae each contributing (4.76%) with one species each. Family Cheyletidae and Raphignathidae each was represented by a single mite species contributing (4.76%). One phoretic mite representing family Ameroseiidae contributed (4.76%).

Cropwise analysis revealed that 5 phytophagous, 11 predatory, one saprophytic and one phoretic species were found associated with apple; whereas one phytophagous and 2 predatory species were found associated with apricot, 6 predatory species were found on peach; 4 phytophagous, 6 predatory and one phoretic species were present on pear; 2 phytophagous, 5 predatory only one phoretic and one saprophytic species showed their presence on plum.