The Handbook of Mites of Economic Plants
Identification, Bio-ecology and Control
Mites pose a serious problem to plants worldwide, attacking crops and spreading disease. When mites damage crops of economic importance the impacts can be felt globally. Mites are among the most diverse and successful of invertebrates, with over 45,000 described species, with many more thousands to be discovered. They are responsible for a significant portion of the losses of crops for food, fibre, industry and other purposes, and require expensive and often controversial pest control measures. Understanding these mites is vital for entomologists, pest researchers, agronomists and food producers.
Knowledge of mite pests helps to inform control strategies and optimize the production of economic plants and the agrarian economy. This encyclopedia provides a thorough coverage of the mites and the problems they cause to crops, yet it is easily searchable, organised by mite species and subdivided into helpful headings. It takes a worldwide view of the issue of mites injurious to economic plants, describing mites prevalent in different regions and discussing control methods appropriate in different environments.
This book provides an encyclopaedic reference to the major mites, described by family in terms of their internal and external morphology, bio-ecology and family systematics. Methods of mite collection and laboratory study is described, as well as species diagnostic characteristics, worldwide distribution, host plants, identification by the type of damage they cause and control strategies, including chemical and biological intervention and integrated pest management measures. Mites of the following families are included: (Eriophyoidea, Tarsonemidae, Tuckerellidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychidae, Acaridae, Penthaleidae).
The Handbook of Mites of Economic Plants is an important resource for students of entomology and crop production, and as a thorough reference guide for researchers and field workers involved with mites, crop damage and food production.
Table of Contents
• PART I: INTRODUCTION
• 1: Introduction to the Acari
• 2: External Morphology
• 3: Internal Morphology
• 4: Biology
• 5: Ecology
• 6: Collecting and Detecting, Preserving, Preparing and Rearing
• 7: Mites and Plant Damage
• 8: Mites as Biocontrol Agents of Weeds
• 9: Control
• 10: Brief History of the Main Published Works on the Mites of Economic Plants
• 11: Classification of and Key for the Identification of Major Taxa
• PART II: MITES INJURIOUS TO ECONOMIC PLANTS
• 12: The Family Histiostomatidae Berlese
• 13: The Family Acaridae Latreille
• 14: The Family Erythraeidae Robineau-Desvoidy
• 15: The Family Penthaleidae Oudemans
• 16: The Family Eriophyidae Nalepa
• 17: The Family Phytoptidae Murray
• 18: The Family Diptilomiopidae Keifer
• 19: The Family Tuckerellidae Baker et Pritchard
• 20: The Family Tetranychidae Donnadieu
• 21: The Family Tenuipalpidae Berlese
• 22: The Family Tarsonemidae Canestrini et Fanzago
• 23: Minor Families
