Effect of pesticides on cymbidium orchid pollencap mite and its predator Hypoaspis sp

Abstract

Pots of orchidgrowing media augmented with pollencap mite Tyrophagus neiswanderi and its predator Hypoaspis sp were drenched with carbaryl deltametrin dimethoate and methiocarb to compare their efficacy for mite control with natural predation Mite populations were monitored by heat extraction from 50 ml of potting media on days 0 2 7 and 14 after treatment and compared with water treated controls All pesticide treatments initially reduced pollencap mite numbers (P