Preliminary Studies On The Beneficial Mites (Acari: Prostigmata) At Fujian Tea Plantations

As both of the increasing insecticide resistance of tea pest mites and rigider restriction of pesticide residue becoming great barriers for sustainable tea production, it is an urgent need to seek a safe and efficient biological control method for pest mites during tea production. The benificial mite is one of the important resources for pest mite controlling and very plentiful at tea gardens. Studies on the benificial mites and their population dynamics were carried out during Sept. 2006 to Dec. 2007 at some tea gardens in Fujian province in order to make a better understanding for integrated pest-mite management and sustainable development of tea industry. The preliminary results as follows:1. Based on the examination of more than 2000 beneficial mite specimens mounted on slides among the total 20,000 specimens collected from Fuzhou, Fuan and Wuyi mountain natural reserve's tea gardens, there are 31 genera, 12 families, 9 superfamilies belonging to predatory or parasitic mites in order prostigmata were recognized and identified. They are as follows: 4 genera of Bdellidae, 8 genera of Cunaxidae, 3 genera of Stigmaeidae, 1 genus of Eupalosellidae, 3 genera of Cheyletidae, 1 genus of Anystidae, 4 genera of Erythraeidae, 2 genera of Trombidiidae, 1 genus of Eupodidae, 1 genus of Rhagidiidae, 2 genera of Tydeidae and 1 genus of Bimichaeliidae. Among which, the species of Tydeidae can be both predatory as well as phytophagous mites, the family Bimichaeliidae is the new record for China. These abundant beneficial mites are very important resources and worthy preserving.2. The population dynamics of the benificial mites in 6 families were investigated by uding 5 point vibratile sampling method at the tea plantation of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University during Jan. to Dec. 2007. The result showed that the annual population dynamics of the benificial mites, except for Trombidiidae which was always below 2 throughout the investigations, could be commonly seen and with population peaks. The population peaks of the benificial mites in other 5 families generally occurred from September to November. However, the maximum population counts differed among different families. The sequence of the annual population quantities of the benificial mites in 5 families from high to low was as: Anystidae > Cunaxidae > Bdellidae > Cheyletidae > Erythraeidae. The sequence of the maximum population counts of the benificial mites ranked as follows: Cunaxidae > Anystidae > Cheyletidae > Bdellidae > Erythraeidae. The maximum population of Cunaxidae during late of September even reached to 134. Those species of Cunaxidae and Anystidae, not noly predators but also with much higher population at tea gardens, are great value for further protection and utilization.