The Rose Red Spider Mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus, belonging to the Family Tetranychidae of the Order Acarina, is a tiny insect pest that causes significant yield losses and reduces the quality of crops worldwide. The high reproductive rate of the pest is one of the reasons why they are such a devastating pest for rose crops. Their small size and the ability to reproduce quickly make it difficult to control their populations once they infest a plant.
Effective management strategies are essential to minimize the impact of this pest on Rose production. To effectively manage this pest, it is necessary to understand its life cycle, its preferred habitats, and the best methods for controlling it. This article will provide an overview and discussion of the Rose Red Spider Mite Pest in Rose crops, including its symptoms, identification techniques, and control.
Rose Red Spider Mite Pest Management
Life Cycle of Rose Red Spider Mite Pest in Rose Crop
The life cycle of the Rose Red Spider Mite pest has four stages. They are egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The lifecycle of the rose red spider mite begins when the female mite lays about 50-100 spherical, transparent eggs on the underside of the leaves, which hatch in 2-3 days. The eggs are usually found in groups and can be easily overlooked due to their small size.
After hatching, the mites enter the larval stage, lasting about three days. They feed on the phloem sap of the leaves, causing yellowing and browning of the leaves. The larvae then molt into the protonymph stage. The protonymph stage lasts for about one day. The mites feed on the leaves and molt into the deutonymph stage. The deutonymph stage lasts for about three days.
They also continue to feed on the leaves and molt into the adult stage. The adult stage lasts about five days, and the mites are mature. The female mite lays eggs on the underside of the leaves, and the lifecycle continues. The entire lifecycle, from egg to adult, takes about two weeks and produces around 15 generations in a year, depending on the temperature and other environmental conditions.
Occurrence of Rose Red Spider Mite Pest in Rose Crop
- Location of Rose Red Spider Mite Pest: This pest infests Rose crops in India, Africa, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Australia.
- Host Range: The Rose Red Spider Mite pest infects crops like Roses, Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Strawberries, and Peaches.
Factors Favoring the Population Increase of Rose Red Spider Mite Pest in Rose Crop
- Temperature – The pest reproduces rapidly in warm, dry environments, with the ideal temperature range for the mites being between 20-30°C, and they are most active during summer.
- Low Humidity – The pest prefers low humidity, and high humidity can harm their survival.
- Limited Water Supply – Water-stressed plants are more susceptible to infestations, and it is not uncommon to find infestations in areas with limited access to water.
- Lack of Natural Predators – The pest can thrive without natural predators such as ladybugs and lacewings, which could help control i