A study on the mite fauna of medicinal plants in some regions of Iran

Wild and cultivated medicinal plants are facing the spread of some plant mites’ activity under greenhouse conditions in Iran. The study of mite fauna of medicinal plants in different regions of the country showed that out of 135 plant species collected, 78 species from 35 families were hosts of harmful and predatory mites. More than 41 harmful and beneficial plant mite species from 12 families were identified. The plant family Asteraceae with nine plant species had the highest range of plant mite activity. The highest plant host diversity was recorded for Tetranychus urticae and Tydeidae mites with 53 and 16 plant species, respectively. Most of the nutritional symptoms and damages of mites from reduction to the cessation of plant growth caused by T. urticae on Malva sylvestris, Alcea sp. Glycyrrhiza glabra and Solanum transcaucasicum outdoors and on Portulaca oleracea, Mentha sp. and Fragaria sp. under greenhouse conditions. Symptoms of damages of Brevipalpus obovatus (in tea gardens), B. lewisi (on shell of guava fruits), Aculus semenovi (on Sophora alopecuroides), Trisetacus juniperinus (on Cupressus sempervirens), and Aceria sp. (on Lactuca serriola) were considered important. None of the collected predatory mites were effective in controlling T. urticae mites.