In vitro and micro-plot predatory activity of the mite Caloglyphus mycophagus against populations of nematode larvae of agricultural importance

• Published in: Biological control 2022-02, Vol.165, p.104813, Article 104813
• Main Authors: Quintero-Elena, Z.J., Aguilar-Marcelino, L., Castañeda-Ramírez, G.S., Gómez-Rodríguez, O., Villar-Luna, E., López-Guillén, G., Ramírez-Rojas, S.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biocontrol; Haemonchus contortus; Nacobbus aberrans
• ISSN: 1049-9644; 1090-2112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104813

[Display omitted] •Under in vitro conditions, the Caloglyphus mycophagus mite is a predator of nematodes.•Under micro-plot conditions, the Caloglyphus mycophagus mite is a predator of nematodes.•The mite is an antagonist to nematodes.•Ivermectin in animal feces can affect organisms such as Caloglyphus mycophagus mite. The present study evaluated the in vitro and micro-plot predatory activity of the mite Caloglyphus mycophagus against Haemonchus contortus (L3) and Nacobbus aberrans (J2). To determine the in vitro predation of the mite, four groups were formed in Petri dishes: (1) 5,000-H. contortus, (2) 1,000-N. aberrans (3) 5,000-H. contortus and 5 mites and (4) 1,000-N. aberrans and 5 mites. The plates were kept for 15 days at 28 °C. For the evaluation of micro-plots with mites against nematodes, Italian ryegrass was used, and additionally, micro-plots with faeces-ivermectin/nematodes/mites were used over 15, 30 and 45 days. At each time, two control groups were formed containing 5,000 larvae of H. contortus and 1,000 s-stage juveniles of N. aberrans, respectively, and two treated groups containing the same amounts of nematodes as the controls and 5 mites on each micro-plot. The results showed an in vitro reduction of 72.86% for N. aberrans and 42.17% for H. contortus. For the micro-plot experiment at 45 days, the percentage of reduction was 78.95 and 63.16% for H. contortus and N. aberrans, respectively. In the case of the micro-plots with ivermectin, mite mortality was 100%. The mite C. mycophagus showed activity in vitro and in the micro-plot against H. contortus and N. aberrans. In addition, we provide evidence that ivermectin in cattle faeces leads to a 100% mortality for C. mycophagus in micro-plots.