ABSTRACf Abilities of phytoseiid mites to attack, reproduce, and control cyclamen mite, Phytonemus pallidus (Banks), on strawberry were assessed. In laboratory feeding tests, Typhlndromus pyri Scheuten, Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman), and N. califomicus (Chant) attacked P. pallidus most often; Amblyseius andersoni Chant fed on the cycalmen mite most successfully, and Galendromus occidentalis (Nesbitt) had difficulty piercing the hardened body of adults. Net predation was T. pyri > N. falJJJCis > N. califomicus > A. andersoni > G. occidentalis. Although several species fed on cyclamen mites, some are more common on strawberry or are more proven as effective predators of P. pallidus and thus later reproduction and pest control tests were conducted with only 2 species. When held with excess cyclamen mites, survival and immature production of N. falJJJCis were-50% of when feeding on a more preferred prey, Tetranychus urticae Koch and like levels for N. cucumeris (Oudemans), a proven effective predator of P. pallidus. When releases of N. fallacis or N. cucumeris were made to plants with moderate densities of cyclamen mites and T. urticae, pests were controlled sooner and damage to plants was less with N. fallacis than N. cucumeris. Releases of both phytoseiids to plants infested with high densities of only cyclamen mites produced fewer of either N. falJJJCis or N. cucumeris than when both pests were present, but there was better pest control (less plant damage) and again, N. falJJJCisgave slightly better control than N. cucumeris. Although N.fallacis gave more rapid control of both pests, N. cucumeris may give longer-term regulation at lower densities. Differences in life histories may dictate that unique methods of release are needed for N. falJJJCis versus N. cucumeris and mixed releases of both may be effective.
Infestations of Botrytis blossom blight (Botrytis cinerea) can reduce yields in commercial blueberry fields in the Pacific Northwest. In 1993, environmental conditions during blueberry flowering were ideal for the development of Botrytis. Individual plants were evaluated in a replicated highbush blueberry culture/advanced selection trial (42 clones, 5 reps, 3 plants) in Aurora, Ore. Each plant was evaluated for damage due to Botrytis using a subjective scoring system (1= all flower clusters on plant appear blighted, 5= many blossoms blighted, 9= no blossoms blighted). Many clones showed very little injury. The following clones showed the greatest injury, in decreasing order of severity, NC 2678, `Bluechip', `Bounty', G-805, `Nelson', G-224, `Berkeley', `Sierra', and `Bluegold'. In addition, Botrytis damage was scored on the field collection of Vaccinium at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository. Data from this nonreplicated study will also be presented.
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