Assessment of mite fauna in different coffee cropping systems in Brazil

Abstract

Agro-ecological diversification may increase natural biodiversity and decrease environmental impacts caused by the intensification of management practices, especially with respect to pest control. This study aimed to evaluate mite populations from surveys in commercial coffee (Coffea arabica) orchards managed in different ways. Four different cropping systems were compared: a conventional system (CS), non-pesticide system (NPS), organic system (OS) and organic agroforestry system (OAS). Mite samples were taken from 24 coffee plantations (n = 6 for each management strategy). Six leaves per plant were collected from five sampling sites totalling 30 leaves from each plantation. Mites were removed from individual leaves, counted and identified to family level. Amongst the predatory mites, two families were detected; the Phytoseiidae was the most abundant family while the Stigmaeidae, generalist predatory mites, were only found in two management systems (NPS and AOS). Of the two families of phytophagous mites, the family Tenuipalpidae was the most abundant, but rarely found in AOS. The other phytophagous family, Tetranychidae, was less abundant in coffee crops than Tenuipalpidae, but the most abundant phytophagous family in CS. Understanding the relationship between mite populations and management practices can aid in choice of spraying strategies for different coffee management systems.

Increased atmospheric CO2 combined with local climatic variation affects phenolics and spider mite populations in coffee trees

“…The coffee red spider mite O. ilicis is considered a key coffee pest in many producing countries because it feeds on the upper leaf surface, causing reduction of photosynthesis rate and premature leaf drop as a consequence of infestation (Teodoro et al 2009). The Phytoseiidae, predatory mites, is widely and commonly found in a range of different coffee management systems (Mineiro et al 2008, Teodoro et al 2009, Peixoto et al 2017. Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are efficient predators of phytophagous mites and are considered the most efficient natural enemies for biological control of pest mites (Reis et al 2008, Toledo et al 2013.…”

“…Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are efficient predators of phytophagous mites and are considered the most efficient natural enemies for biological control of pest mites (Reis et al 2008, Toledo et al 2013. The regular occurrence of pests including mite populations, year after year, reduces productivity and the quality of coffee and is known that the coffee management production interferes on mite population, being that more sustainable systems of production present smaller abundance of mites (Peixoto et al 2017). However, the relationship between mites and coffee plants in a high CO 2 environments has not been investigated.…”