Life Table and Predation Capacity of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Feeding on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Rose

The life history and predation rate were determined for all stages of female and male of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot fed on the eggs of Tetranychus urticae Koch as the preferred prey-stage on rose (cv ‘blarodje’) leaf discs under laboratory conditions at 25±1°C, 75±5% RH, and 16 L: 8 D hour photoperiod. According to the age-stage, two-sex life table model, the intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net Reproductive rate (R0), Gross Reproductive Rate (GRR), and mean generation Time (T) were 0.296 d-1, 1.345 d-1, 33.48 offspring, 53.87 offspring and 11.83 d, respectively. Moreover, average number of T. urticae eggs consumed by different stages/sexes of P. persimilis was calculated based on the age-stage, two-sex life table model and indicated that the consumption rates increased from nymph to adult in both sexes. Also, our results showed that females consumed prey eggs 11 times more than males. The net predation rate (C0) and transformation rate from prey population to predator offspring (Qp) were 363.54 mite eggs and 10.86, respectively. The results showed that P. persimilis can successfully survive and reproduce on T. urticae eggs on rose.