Mites in coffee agro-ecosystem: studies on the influence of leaf litter on mite community, interspecific interactions, susceptibility to agrochemicals and molecular characterization

• Grant number: 09/17804-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2010 - April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Mário Eidi Sato
• Grantee: Mário Eidi Sato
• Host Institution: Instituto Biológico (IB). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Coffee is one of the crops with the highest social and economic importance in Brazil. Some species of pest mites such as Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) and Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) cause noticeable damages to the crop in this country. The general objective of this project is to provide basic information for the management of mites in coffee plantations. The specific objectives are: to study the influence of leaf litter on the mite community in coffee agro-ecosystem; to study the interactions among different mite species (e.g.: predators x phytophagous species; predators x predators) and other organisms present on the agro-ecosystem; to evaluate the influence of coffee cultivars on the population of phytophagous and predatory mites; to evaluate the pesticide susceptibility in B. phoenicis and predaceous mites (Phytoseiidae, Stigmaeidae); to carry out studies on molecular characterization in mites of the family Stigmaeidae present on coffee plants. The study will provide a broader view on the mite diversity in coffee agro-ecosystem (coffee plants, leaf litter, soil), influence of leaf litter on the mite community, relationship among different mite species (phytophagous, predaceous, and little known feeding habit mites) and other organisms present on the agro-ecosystem, influence of coffee cultivars on these inter-specific relationships, and the influence of pesticides (some of them are new compounds) on phytophagous and predatory mites. This kind of information is of fundamental importance for the elaboration of integrated pest management programs in coffee plantation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MINEIRO, JEFERSON L. C.; LOFEGO, ANTONIO C.; SATO, MARIO E.. Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) found in soil and litter from Atibaia, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with description of two new species. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. 38, n. 7, p. 595-604, 2012. (09/17804-0)