The effect of strawberry cultivars, infested with <italic>Tetranychus urticae</italic> (Acari: Tetranychidae), on the olfactory response of the predatory mite <italic>Neoseiulus californicus</italic> (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

<italic>Tetranychus urticae</italic> Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a key pest of agricultural crop. One of the best candidates for biological control of this mite is <italic>Neoseiulus californicus</italic> (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). In this study, the olfactory response of the predatory mite to seven strawberry cultivars ('Marak', 'Yalova', 'Aliso', 'Gaviota', 'Sequoia', 'Camarosa' and 'Chandler') was studied using a Y-tube olfactometer. We used two-day-old female predatory mites that were reared on spider mite-infested strawberry. The behavioral response of the predator was studied in four experiments: 1) clean air <italic>vs</italic>. uninfected strawberry plant, 2) clean air <italic>vs</italic>. spider mite-infested strawberry plant, 3) uninfected strawberry plant <italic>vs</italic>. spider mite-infested strawberry plant and 4) two-cultivar choice test (spider mite-infested). In the first experiment, the attraction of the predatory mite to uninfected strawberry plant volatiles was significant. In the second test, the predators significantly preferred volatiles from strawberry plant infested with <italic>T. urticae</italic> to clean air. In the third test, 68% to 80% of the predatory mites were attracted to spider mite-infested strawberry plant volatiles compared with uninfected plants. Among the seven strawberry cultivars, the predator responses to volatiles of infested plants varied 62% to 83% and to volatiles of uninfested plant varied 59% to 75%. Herbivore – induced plant volatile emitted from strawberry infested with <italic>T. urticae</italic> attract the predatory mite. The last test showed that 'Aliso' and 'Chandler' were more attractive for the predatory mite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]