Mite fauna in dried fruits and nuts in Tehran and Fars provinces

Subject Areas : Plant Pests

Fariba  Ardeshir ¹ (Assistant professor, Agricultural Zoology Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2023-08-11 Accepted : 2023-08-11 Published : 2023-02-20

Keywords: Tehran, Fars, Nuts, Dried fruits, Mite fauna,

Abstract :

Dried fruits and nuts are one of Iran's export products, and their contamination with mites causes significant quantitative and qualitative damage to the product in the warehouses. This study was conducted to determine mite species in dried fruits and nuts in the city of Tehran from Tehran province and in the cities of Jahrom, Shiraz, Estahban, Darab, Zaraghan, Larestan and Nyriz from Fars province during 2014. In Total, 145 samples were collected from 13 types of products including pistachio, hazelnut, almond, fig, raisin, walnut, date, watermelon seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, peanut, apricot and dried berries. Mite species were found in 67% and 45.5% of all products in Tehran, and Fars provinces, respectively, number of 8 species, 7 genera and 6 families of mites were identified from these two provinces. The dominant species in Tehran were Carpoglyphus lactis (Linné) (11.79%) as a pest, and Acaropsellina sollers (Kuzin) (76.4%) as a predatory mite. However, in Fars, Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank) (8.51%) was recognized as a pest species, while Blattisocius tarsalis (Berlese) showed the highest frequency (80.8%) as a predator. The average density of mites in Tehran and Fars provinces was 11 and 10.4 individuals/kg, respectively. The detected mites are newly reported for the fauna of dried fruits and nuts in Tehran (1) and Fars (2) provinces and are as follows:(1): Rhizoglyphus robini Claparèd; Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank); Carpoglyphus lactis (Linné); Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank); Acaropsellina sollers (Kuzin); Androlaelaps casalis casalis (Berlese).(2): Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank); Acaropsellina sollers (Kuzin); Blattisocius tarsalis (Berlese); Blattisocius keegani Fox.