Thermal biology of three potential glasshouse biocontrol agents (Euseius spp.) and the target pest, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae), whilst assessing public understanding of pest control methods

White, Nicola (2016). Thermal biology of three potential glasshouse biocontrol agents (Euseius spp.) and the target pest, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae), whilst assessing public understanding of pest control methods. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The world population is continually growing with an increasing food demand to match whilst pests represent a major loss to agricultural production. The aim of this thesis was to assess the overwintering survival and activity potential of three candidate biological control agents, $Euseius$ $(Amblyseius)$ $ovalis$ Evans; $Euseius$ $stipulatus$ Athias-Henriot and $Euseius$ $gallicus$ Kreiter and Tixier (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Cold tolerance assessments indicated that both $Euseius$ $ovalis$ and $Euseius$ $stipulatus$ , as non-native species, were physiologically ill-adapted to UK winter temperatures. $Euseius$ $gallicus$ , as a species native to temperate European countries, was found to have an acclimation and diapause trait, being well-adapted to survive a UK winter. Thermal activity thresholds supported all three Euseius spp. as efficient agents against $Tetranychus$ $urticae$ under low temperature conditions, with $Euseius$ $gallicus$ ’ acclimated lower activity threshold supporting its use in open-field releases of native countries. The data from the cold tolerance of $Euseius$ spp. and $Tetranychus$ $urticae$ have further enhanced the reliability of the winter survival regression (LTime $_50$ at 5°C) as an essential component of arthropod cold survival assessments. Finally, this thesis presents a study on the role of the media in public understanding and awareness of pest control strategies; discussed with regards to food security.