Susceptibility of Euseius concordis (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) to pesticides used in citrus production systems

Euseius concordis (Chant) is an important predatory mite found in citrus orchards. The toxicity of 19 pesticides used in citrus orchards on biological and population parameters of this mite was assessed. Our results indicated that formetanate hydrochloride, dimethoate and phosmet were highly harmful (100% mortality) to E. concordis . Carbosulfan, diflubenzuron, fenpropathrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam, mineral and vegetable oils, spinosad and thiamethoxam reduced the female’s survival and/or fecundity, and were moderately harmful to E. concordis . Besides the acute toxicity, carbosulfan and formetanate hydrochloride were highly persistent [>30 days after spraying (DAS)]; dimethoate was moderately persistent (16–30 DAS); spinosad, gamma-cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam were slightly persistent (5–15 DAS); and the other pesticides were considered to be short-lived (