The effect of combined and separate applications of Cordyceps fumosorosea and Phytoseiulus persimilis on the biological control of Tetranychus urticae under laboratory and field conditions

Kök Ş., Yaşar İ., Kasap İ.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, vol.51, no.5, pp.379-385, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 51 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Environment Index, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.379-385
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of combined and separate applications of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF), Cordyceps fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae), and the predatory mite (PM), Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae), on the biological control of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the field-grown tomatoes in the Northwest Türkiye in 2021. Based on the laboratory tests, it was determined that C. fumosorosea caused moderate mortality on T. urticae and relatively low mortality on P. persimilis. Field tests on tomatoes showed that the most effective result in suppressing the populations of T. urticae was by the release of P. persimilis alone, followed by the combined application of C. fumosorosea and P. persimilis. The application of C. fumosorosea alone showed a very low effect on the populations of T. urticae. Our results suggest that releasing P. persimilis alone provides more effective biological control of T. urticae on field-grown tomatoes than the combined application of C. fumosorosea and P. persimilis, and application of C. fumosorosea alone.