Application of Two-spotted Spider Mite <em>Tetranychus urticae</em> for Plant-pest Interaction Studies

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Abstract

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a ubiquitous polyphagous arthropod herbivore that feeds on a remarkably broad array of species, with more than 150 of economic value. It is a major pest of greenhouse crops, especially in Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae (e.g., tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini) and greenhouse ornamentals (e.g., roses, chrysanthemum, carnations), annual field crops (such as maize, cotton, soybean, and sugar beet), and in perennial cultures (alfalfa, strawberries, grapes, citruses, and plums)1,2. In addition to the extreme polyphagy that makes it an important agricultural pest, T. urticae has a tendency to develop resistance to a wide array of insecticides and acaricides that are used for its control3-7. T. urticae is an excellent experimental organism, as it has a rapid life cycle (7 days at 27 °C) and can be easily maintained at high density in the laboratory. Methods to assay gene expression (including in situ hybridization and antibody staining) and to inactivate expression of spider mite endogenous genes using RNA interference have been developed8-10. Recently, the whole genome sequence of T. urticae has been reported, creating an opportunity to develop this pest herbivore as a model organism with equivalent genomic resources that already exist in some of its host plants (Arabidopsis thaliana and the tomato Solanum lycopersicum)11. Together, these model organisms could provide insights into molecular bases of plant-pest interactions. Here, an efficient method for quick and easy collection of a large number of adult female mites, their application on an experimental plant host, and the assessment of the plant damage due to spider mite feeding are described. The presented protocol enables fast and efficient collection of hundreds of individuals at any developmental stage (eggs, larvae, nymphs, adult males, and females) that can be used for subsequent experimental application.

Related Papers

• → Laboratory and field evaluation of maize resistance to the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae(2023)2 cited
• → Observations on Winter Survival and Diapausing Behaviour of Red Spider Mite ( Tetranychus urticae ) on Glasshouse Roses(1973)5 cited
• New Approaches in Controlling Red Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae Koch on Tomato Plants with Reference to Genetic Mutations Associated with Pesticides.(2015)
• → Synthesis of some new ether derivatives of hydroquinone and their ovicidal activity against the two‐spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch)(1986)4 cited