Abstract
The broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is an important, and in some cases recent, pest of diverse crops in tropical and subtropical regions. Infested leaves become bronzed with down-curling margins, buds are aborted and flowers distorted, shoots grow twisted and fruit may be misshapen and russeted. Injuries, presumably due to toxins, occur even after the broad mite is killed by pesticides. There is no evidence thatP. latus transmits plant viruses, but injury may be mistaken for virus or herbicide damage. The mite infests plants referable to ca 55 dicotyledone and two monocotyledone families as well as to the Cupressaceae. Changes in horticultural practices, including control measures, could have caused recent pest outbreaks. The mite may raise a generation in 1 week under optimal conditions (ca 25°C and high relative humidities) and deposit ca. 40 eggs/ female. The usual sex ratio is 1:4 male: female and reproduction is arrhenotokous. Dispersal is effected through male carriage of pharate females as well as by winds, insects (especially whiteflies) and man. Field sampling is facilitated by the pest's aggregated distribution. Control options comprise plant resistance, pesticides and biocontrol. Areas for future research include the possible emergence of sibling species or feeding strains, better understanding of the mite's reproduction, the effects of host plants on life history parameters, monitoring for pesticide resistance and exploration for additional natural enemies of the broad mite.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous, 1986.Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). In: Distribution Maps of Pests, Ser. A, No. 191 (revised). C.A.B. International Institute of Entomology, London.
Aubert, B., Lossois, P. and Marchal, J., 1981. Mise en évidence des dégâts causes parPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) sur papayers à l'ile de la Réunion. Fruits, 36: 9–24.
Badii, M.H. and McMurtry, J.A., 1984. Feeding behavior of some phytoseiid predators on the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tarsonemidae). Entomophaga, 29: 49–53.
Baker, G.T. and Chandrapatya, A., 1991. Fine structure of the chorion of the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Prostigmata: Tarsonemidae)., Proc. VIII Acarol. Congress, in press.
Bar-Joseph, M. and Gerson, U., 1977. Virus-like injuries of avocado induced by arthropods. Hassadeh, 57: 1070–1072 (in Hebrew).
Bassett, P., 1981. Observations on broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) (Acarina: Tarsonemidae) attacking cucumber. Proc. 1981 Br. Crop Prot. Conf. Pests and Diseases, 1: 99–103.
Bassett, P., 1985. Tarsonemid mites. In: N.W. Hussey and N. Scopes (Editors), Biological Pest Control, The Glasshouse Experience. Blandford Press, Poole, pp. 93–96.
Beattie, G.A.C. and Gellatley, J.G., 1983. Mites pests of citrus. Agfacts H2, AE 3, Dept. Agriculture, New South Wales, 6 pp.
Beer, R.E., 1954. A revision of the Tarsonemidae of the Western Hemisphere (order Acarina) Univ. Kans. Sci. Bull., 36: 1091–1387.
Beer, R.E. and Nucifora, A., 1965. Revisione dei generi della famiglia Tarsonemidae (Acarina). Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic., Ser. 2, 7: 19–43.
Brown, R.D. and Jones, V.P., 1983. The broad mite on lemon in southern California. Calif. Agric., 27 (7): 21–22.
Cabrera, R.I., Dominguez, D. and Blanco, J.J., 1987. Informe deHirsutella nodulosa, enemigo natural del acaro blancoPolyphagotarsonemus latus. Comun. Cienc. Techn. Agric. Citr. Frut., 10: 135–138.
Cividanes, F.J., Thomazini, M.J. and Carvalho Santos, L.G., 1987. Distribuição do acaro brancoPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) em plantas de algodão. An. Soc. Entomol. Bras., 16: 93–104.
Costilla, M.A., 1980. Aspectos bioecologicos del acaro blanco de los citrusPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks 1904) Beer y Nucifora, 1955. Rev. Ind. Agric. Tucuman, 57: 15–21.
Cromroy, H.L., 1958. A preliminary survey of the plant mites of Puerto Rico. J. Agr. Univ. Puerto Rico, 42: 39–144.
Cronquist, A., 1988. The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants, 2nd edn. New York Bot. Gardens, New York, 555 pp.
Cross, J.V. and Bassett, P., 1982. Damage to tomato and aubergine by broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). Plant Pathol., 31: 391–393.
Davies, J.C., 1963. Observations on the effect of DDT formulations on the yellow tea mite,Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks) in Uganda. Bull. Entomol. Res., 54: 425–431.
Dhooria, M.S. and Bindra, O.S., 1977.Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) a mite pest of chilli and potato in Punjab. Acarol. Newsletter, 4: 7–9.
Ewing, H.E., 1939. A revision of the mites of the subfamily Tarsoneminae of North America, the West Indies and the Hawaiian Islands. USDA Tech. Bull. 653, 63 pp.
Flechtmann, C.H.W. and Flechtmann, C.A.H., 1984. Reproduction and chromosomes in the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904) (Acari: Prostigmata, Tarsonemidae). In: D.A. Griffiths and C.E. Bowman (Editors), Acarology VI. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, pp. 455–456.
Flechtmann, C.H.W., Guerrero B., J.M., Arroyave, J.A. and Constantino, Ch.L.M., 1990. A little known mode of dispersal ofPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). Int. J. Acarol., 16: 181–182.
Gadd, C.H., 1946. Observations on the yellow tea-miteHemitarsonemus latus (Banks) Ewing. Bull. Entomol. Res., 37: 157–162.
Fox Wilson, G., 1950. The broad mite. J. R. Hort. Soc., 75: 69–74.
Gerson, U., 1986. The broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus. Phytoparasitica, 14: 157.
Gibson, R.W. and Valencia, L., 1978. A survey of potato species for resistance to the mitePolyphagotarsonemus latus, with particular reference to the protection ofSolanum berthaultii andS. tarijense by glandular hairs. Potato Res., 21: 217–223.
Goff, M.L., 1987. A catalog of the Acari of the Hawaiian Islands. University of Hawaii, Res. Ext. Ser. No. 075, 75 pp.
Gupta, P.C. and Chaudhry, H.S., 1972. New record ofHemitarsonemus latus Banks (Tarsonemidae) as a parasite ofBemisia gossypiperda M.&L. Indian J. Entomol., 33: 476.
Hariyappa, A.S. and Kulkarni, K.A., 1989. Interaction between the predatory mite,Amblyseius ovalis (Evans) and chilli mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). J. Biol. Control., 3: 31–32.
Heungens, A. and Degheele, D., 1986. Control of the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) with acaricides onPsophocarpus tetragonolobus andRicinus communis. Parasitica, 42: 3–10.
Higa, S.Y. and Namba, R., 1971. Vectors of the papaya mosaic virus in Hawaii. Proc. Hawaiian Entomol. Soc., 21: 93–96.
Hooper, G.H.S., 1957. The potato broad mite. Queensl. Agr. J., 83: 56–58.
Hugon, R., 1983. Biologie et écologie dePolyphagotarsonemus latus Banks, ravageur sur agrumes aux Antilles. Fruits, 38: 635–646.
Hugon, R. and Chaupin, P., 1986. Lutte contrePolyphagotarsonemus latus Banks ravageur des agrumes aux Antilles. Fruits, 41: 193–198.
Jeppson, L.R., Keifer, H.H. and Baker, E.W., 1975. Mites Injurious to Economic Plants. University of California Press, Berkeley, 614 pp.
Jones, M.T., 1988. Status of the broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) (Banks)—a threat to the vegetable, fruit and ornamental industry of Trinidad. Proc. 2nd Annual NIHERST Seminar, Trinidad.
Jones, V.P. and Brown, R.D., 1983. Reproductive responses of the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae), to constant temperature-humidity regimes. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 76: 466–469.
Kabir, A.K.M.F., 1979. Bioecology and behaviour of yellow jute mite. In: J.G. Rodriguez (Editor), Recent Advances in Acarology, Vol. 1, Academic Press, New York, pp. 519–523.
Karl, E., 1965. Untersuchungen zur Morphologie und Ökologie von Tarsonemiden gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. II.Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks),Tarsonemus confusus Ewing,T. talpae Schaarschmidt,T. setifer Ewing,T. smithi Ewing undTarsonemoides belemnitoides Weis-Fogh. Biol. Zentralbl., 84: 331–357.
Kolodochka, L.A. and Prutenskaya, M.D., 1987. Ability of the phytoseiid miteAmblyseius agrestis to feed on the tarsonemid miteHemitarsonemus latus. Vest. Zool., No. 2, 80 (In Russian).
Lavoipierre, M.M.J., 1940.Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina), a mite of economic importance new to South Africa. J. Entomol. Soc. South. Afr. 3: 116–123.
Li, L.S., Li, Y.R. and Bu, G.S., 1985. The effect of temperature and humidity on the growth and development of the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus. Acta Entomol. Sinica, 28: 181–187 (in Chinese).
Lindquist, E.E., 1986. The world genera of Tarsonemidae (Acari: Heterostigmata): a morphological, phylogenetic, and systematic revision, with a reclassification of family-group taxa in the Heterostigmata. Mem. Entomol. Soc. Can., 136: 1–517.
Marin, L.R., 1985 (1987). Biologia y comportamiento del acaro blancoPolyphagotarsonemus latus en la costa central del Peru. Rev. Peru Entomol., 28: 71–77.
Moutia, L.A., 1958. Contribution to the study of some phytophagous Acarina and their predators in Mauritius. Bull. Entomol. Res., 49: 59–75.
Natarajan, K., 1988. Transport of yellow mitePolyphagotarsonemus latus by cotton whitefly. Curr. Sci., 57: 1142–1143.
Nucifora, A., 1963. Osservazioni sulla riproduzioni diHemitarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina Tarsonemidae). Atti Accad. Naz. Ital. Entomol., 10: 142–153.
Ochoa, R., Smiley, R.L. and Saunders, J.L., 1991. The family Tarsonemidae in Costa Rica (Acari: Heterostigmata). Int. J. Acarol., 17: 41–86.
Oliveira, C.A.L. and Dojas, E., 1982. Efeito do regulador de crescimento de plantas sobre a populaçae do acaro brancoPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904) no algodoeiro. Ecossistema, 7: 63–67.
Peña, J.E., 1990. Relationships of broad mite (Acari: Tarsonemidae) density to lime damage. J. Econ. Entomol., 83: 2008–2015.
Peña, J.E. and Baranowski, R.M., 1990. Dispersion indices and sampling plans for the broad mite (Acari: Tarsonemidae) and the citrus rust mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) on limes. Environ. Entomol., 19: 378–382.
Peña, J.E., Baranowski, R.M. and Denmark, H.A., 1989. Survey of predators of the broad mite in southern Florida. Fla. Entomol., 72: 373–377.
Schoonhoven, A.V., Peidrahita, J., Valderrama, R. and Galvez, G., 1978. Biologia, daño y control del ácaro tropicalPolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina: Tarsonemidae) en frijol. Turrialba, 28: 77–80.
Schwartz, A., 1977. Citrus silver miteHemitarsonemus latus (Banks). Farming S. Afr., Citrus Ser., H. 14, 6 pp.
Singh, S.R., Van Emden, H.F. and Ajibola Taylor, T., 1978. Pests of Grain Legumes: Ecology and Control. Academic Press, London 454 pp.
Smith, D. and Papacek, D.F., 1985. Integrated pest management in Queensland citrus. Queensl. Agric. J., 111: 249–259.
Smith, F.F., 1935. Control experiments on certainTarsonemus mites on ornamentals. J. Econ. Entomol., 28: 91–98.
Smith, F.F., 1939. Control of cyclamen and broad mite in gerbera. USDA Cir. No. 516 14 pp.
Taksdal, G., 1973. Interactions between pest and host plant in an attack by the broad mite,Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acarina, Tarsonemidae), on passion fruit,Passiflora edulis Sims. Nor. Entomol. Tidsskr., 20: 301–304.
Vaissayre, M., 1986. Chemical control of the mitePolyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) in cotton fields. Coton Fibres Trop. Eng. Ed., 41: 31–44.
Waterhouse, D.F. and Norris, K.R., 1987. Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press, Melbourne, 454 pp.
Wu, W.-N., 1984. Notes in the genusAmblyseius Berlese with descriptions of two new species from citrus orchards in south China (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). In: D.A. Griffiths and C.E. Bowman (Editors), Acarology VI, Vol. 1. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, pp. 222–227.
Zaman, M. and Karimullah, 1987. Relative abundance of yellow mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks), on six cultivars of jute in Peshawar. Pak. J. Zool., 19: 133–139.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gerson, U. Biology and control of the broad mite,Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae). Exp Appl Acarol 13, 163–178 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01194934
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01194934