Age-stage, two-sex life table of European red spider mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) on mulberry varieties.

To understand the influence of four mulberry varieties on the development and reproduction of the European red spider mite,Panonychus ulmi(Koch) (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), age-stage two-sex life tables ofP. ulmion Goshoerami, KNG, Chinese white and Rokokuyaso varieties were constructed under ambient laboratory conditions during summer season of the year with an average temperature of 26.22 ± 2.23 °C, relative humidity of 70 ± 5% and photoperiod of 14:10 h (L: D).Panonychus ulmideveloped comparatively better on KNG and Goshoerami varieties than the other two varieties, as indicated by high fecundity (45.05 ± 1.89 and 41.23 ± 1.66 eggs female−1, respectively) and intrinsic rate of increase (0.165 ± 0.01 and 0.168 ± 0.03 day−1, respectively). Lowest intrinsic rate of increase (r) was observed on Chinese white and Rokokuyaso (0.055 ± 0.03 and 0.057 ± 0.10 day−1, respectively). Total development time of immature females was shortest on KNG than on the other varieties. Immature survival was significantly higher on KNG and Goshoerami varieties (76.76 ± 7.59 and 72.96 ± 8.21%, respectively) and was lower on Chinese white and Rokokuyaso (46.76 ± 9.00 and 43.32 ± 8.71%, respectively). Based on all the above parameters, KNG and Goshoerami were found as most suitable varieties forP. ulmithan Chinese white and Rokokuyaso. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]