CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Overwintering and diapause are variable among mite species and strains. The aims of thisstudy were to determine whether certain crops constitute overwintering sites for the Argentinestrain of the predator Neoseiulus californicus and whether females underwent reproductivediapause in winter. Neoseiulus californicus was recorded monthly on the vegetablestomato, sweet pepper, eggplant, and artichoke, and on strawberry, among other cropsin Buenos Aires province, Argentina. This mite was found at a lower percentage of cropsin the winter than in the other seasons. Since the predator was quite frequent on artichoke,this crop could constitute a refuge during adverse environmental conditions. The mite?sfrequency on several crops in other seasons and potential association with a strawberry pestis discussed. In the laboratory, individuals exposed to winter conditions throughout the lifecycle exhibited a long pre-oviposition period and low oviposition rate, but did not diapause.After being kept under winter conditions from larva to adult, when individuals weretransferred to the optimal spring temperatures and lighting, the pre-oviposition period wasshorter and the fecundity higher than under winter conditions. When individuals remainedunder spring conditions from larva to adult and were then transferred to the winter parametersduring the frst 15 days of adulthood, the pre-oviposition period was long and the ovipositionrate low. Once the optimal conditions were restored, the daily fecundity becamesimilar to that of the individuals remaining under optimal conditions throughout the lifecycle. Fecundity of N. californicus decreased signifcantly under winter conditions butreproductive diapause was not observed.Keywords Neoseiulus californicus · Overwintering · Diapause · Horticultural crops

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