SURVEY OF MITES ASSOCIATED WITH GRAIN RESIDUES AND MIXED FLOUR IN WAREHOUSES AND MILLS IN GREAT CAIRO

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Twenty one mite species belonging to 3 suborders and 11 families were found in grain residues and mixed flour samples collected from warehouses and mills at Great Cairo. They were 12 pest species, 7 predatory and 2 parasitic species. Species commonly found in all inspected materials at all locations were Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes, Tyrophagous putrescentiae (Sch.) and Cheyletus malaccensis Oud. However Acrus siro (Lin), Acarophenax tribolii (New.) and Pyemotes herfsi (Oud.) were often abundant. The remaining species occurred sporadically in the collected materials. Actinedid and acaridid mites were “dominant” and “constant” in mixed flour and grain residues samples, the second group was the most abundant. Whereas gamasid mites was “recedent” and “accidental”. Mixed flour taken from Qaliobia Governorate harboured the highest number of mite species (15 species) followed by grain residues from Giza Governorate (13 species). While grain residues taken from Cairo Governorate harboured the lowest number (5 species).The highest infestation level with mites (2677.3 individuals) was recorded in mixed flour at Qaliobia Governorate, while the lowest one (1067 individuals) was found in grain residues at Cairo Governorate. Generally, mixed flour harboured more mite species than grain residues. Most of the collected mite species occurred during autumn and winter except P. herfsi and A. tribolii which were recorded during spring and summer, respectively. Dominance and frequency of occurrence, population fluctuations, effect of temperature and relative humidity on the population dynamics, also the relation between the predators and pests of mites were discussed in details.
 

Keywords

Arab Universities Journal of Agricultural Sciences
Volume 14, Issue 1
March 2006
Pages 509-529

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