Breaking new ground for biological control in mulberry: Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) transvaalensis to counter Polyphagotarsonemus latus and Pseudodendrothrips darci

Currently, the thrips Pseudodendrothrips darci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is as serious as Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae), the broad mite, in large parts of several mulberry-growing districts in southern India. Complete losses on the one hand, and ineffective chemical pesticides and their rejection by farmers on the other, have opened new opportunities for biological control of both these pests in mulberry. In a series of field trials in three districts of Karnataka, Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) transvaalensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) could counter these pests in mulberry severely infested by either the broad mite or the thrips. For instance, the predatory mite (60 adults per plant) reduced the broad mite population by 89.1% at Chakkalurdoddi in Ramanagara district, and suppressed the thrips by 76% at Mattur in Raichur district. A simple, cost-effective mass production and application technology (‘Shatpada Treat’) has been developed for this Type III generalist predatory mite at ICAR–NBAIR. Being safe to the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), its exploitation is expected to break new ground for biological control in mulberry.