Neotropical Entomology 34(6): 991-998 (2005) Resistência de PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Ácaro rajado, manejo da resistência, controle químico ABSTRACT -Studies on artificial laboratory selections with abamectin, cross-resistance relationships, and stability of resistance were carried out with Tetranychus urticae Koch to provide basic information for an abamectin resistance management program. Selections for resistance and susceptibility to abamectin were performed in a population of T. urticae, collected from a commercial strawberry field in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. After five selections for resistance and five selections for susceptibility, susceptible (S) and resistant (R) strains of T. urticae to abamectin were obtained. The resistance ratio (R/S) at the LC 50 reached 342-fold values. The toxicity of eight acaricides was evaluated in the R and S strains, observing significant differences (at LC 50 ) between R and S strains for milbemectin, fenpropathrin and chlorfenapyr. Significant correlation was detected between the LC 50 s of abamectin and milbemectin, indicating cross-resistance between these acaricides. No crossresistance was detected for the acaricides fenpyroximate, cyhexatin, propargite and dimethoate. The stability of abamectin resistance was also studied under laboratory conditions. Abamectin resistance was unstable in the absence of selection pressure. For all studied populations (with 75, 50 and 25% of initial frequency of resistant mites), the percentage of resistant mites decreased to levels equal or lower than 15% in six months. The results indicate that milbemectin should be avoided for managing abamectin resistance in T. urticae.

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Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a major pest of several agricultural crops and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an important natural enemy of this pest mite. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of spiromesifen on the development and reproduction of T. urticae, and to assess the influence of spiromesifen and other acaricides on the population growth rates of the spider mite and its predator, N. californicus. Toxicity tests with spiromesifen at different life stages of T. urticae indicated that eggs less than 72 h old were more sensitive than other development stages. The oviposition rate of T. urticae was significantly affected by spiromesifen. Experiments on the effects of spiromesifen on the growth rates of T. urticae and N. californicus indicated that spiromesifen is innocuous to the predaceous mite but highly toxic to the spider mite, leading to population suppression in 10 days. Fenpropathrin, acephate and neem oil were not harmful to N. californicus, but were not so efficient as spiromesifen in controlling T. urticae, and had significantly less influence on the population growth rates of the spider mite. Among these three products, only neem oil caused significant reduction in the growth rate of T. urticae. Chlorfenapyr, abamectin, milbemectin and diafenthiuron significantly affected the population growth rates of T. urticae and N. californicus. Spiromesifen was the most promising acaricide for managing the twospotted spider mite, when used in combination with N. californicus.