| Budget Amount *help |
¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Indigenous insect predators (Scolothrips takahashii, Feltiella acarisuga, Oligota spp., and Stethorus spp.) are important natural enemies of pest spider mites in fruits and vegetables. However, little is known about their ecology in orchards and other agricultural fields, because we cannot investigate efficiently these tiny insect predators (approx. 1 mm in body length). Further, few laboratory studies have made due to the difficulty of their efficient rearing. To solve the first issue, I have established a simple plant trap for collecting insect predators, by using potted komatsuna plants (Brassica rapa) infested with spider mites Tetranychus urticae. By using this new plant-prey combination, I have also established a simple method for rearing the insect predators in large containers. These methods will contribute further field and laboratory studies to clarify the importance of insect predators as biocontrol agents of spider mites.
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