Pollen effects on the performance of the predatory mite Amblydromalus limonicus

Abstract: Predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae are important natural enemies ofherbivorous arthropods. Many of these are currently used for the control of key pests ingreenhouse crops. Amblydromalus limonicus Garman and McGregor, is one such generalistphytoseiid species that has been launched recently in the European market for thrips control.We herein present an overview of our work on the impact of plant pollen as alternative andsupplementary food source on certain aspects of the performance of A. limonicus. We show thatpollen provisioning can positively affect A. limonicus population increase and also greatlyreduce intraguild predation with indigenous phytoseiid species. In addition, Typha sp. pollen isshown to alleviate the side-effects of pesticide residues. Overall, our results highlight thebenefits of plant pollen provisioning in enhancing the biocontrol potential of generalistphytoseiid mites.