How to breed natural enemies

Abstract

To provide a method for keeping or increasing the population of natural enemy organisms.SOLUTION: According to the method, the bittern component is used for acarids, which are alternative food to pests preyed on by natural enemy organisms to grown the acarids. Consequently, the acarids can be stably preyed on to prevent the natural enemy organisms from starving or escaping, so that the population of the natural enemy organisms can be kept or increased.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for maintaining or increasing the population of natural enemies by promoting the proliferation of natural enemies and acarid mites, which serve as food for the natural enemies, using a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component." The natural enemies propagated by the present invention are used in the agricultural and horticultural fields for the purpose of controlling crop pests. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in order to avoid the environmental risks and resistance problems posed by chemical pesticides, integrated pest management (IPM) methods that combine agricultural control to suppress the occurrence of pests and biological control using natural enemies and microorganisms with chemical pesticides have been attracting attention. In particular, for pests such as spider mites and thrips that parasitize various crops, polyphagous natural enemies such as their natural enemies, phytoseiid mites such as Phytoseiulus californicus, Phytoseiulus swirskii, and Phytoseiulus cucumeri, as well as Mallotus japonicus, the tobacco white stink bug, and Orius strigiformes, have been widely used for pest control. It is desirable for these natural enemies to maintain the populations necessary for pest control throughout the entire crop cultivation period. However, if the pests on which they feed are absent or scarce, maintaining the populations necessary for pest control becomes difficult due to starvation, escape, or other factors. Therefore, a common method of control is to release large amounts of natural enemies that have multiplied by feeding on acarid mites such as sugar mites and stag beetles. Meanwhile, it is known that these natural enemies can multiply by preying on acarid mites such as sugar mites and stag beetles, and that the required population of acarid mites can be maintained by releasing these acarid mites on the crops to be controlled. However, although acarid mites typically occur in large numbers in foods such as sugar, chocolate, breadcrumbs, flour, and dried fish, they do not naturally occur on crops, making it difficult to maintain the population of natural enemies throughout the crop cultivation period.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that for natural enemies that are not tolerant of dry conditions, such as Phytoseiid mite, cucumeris, a species of phytoseiid mite, if the mites are placed in a bag for releasing natural enemies together with wheat husks as a carrier and Tyrophagus putrescentiae, which serve as food, and if a moisturizing agent made of a water-containing polymer absorbent is further placed in the bag, not only will the survival rate be increased even in a dry environment but the mites will also be able to multiply. However, there is no description of a method for multiplying the mites, which serve as food.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes that a natural enemy insect breeding device consisting of a container containing a moisturizer, water, natural enemy insects, bait insects that serve as food for the natural enemy insects, a culture medium for cultivating mold that serves as food for the bait insects, and an egg-laying substrate for the natural enemy insects, can be used to control spider mites and thrips with Phytoseiulus cucumeri, Phytoseiulus womersleyi, Phytoseiulus californicus, and Phytoseiulus swirskii, but does not describe the relationship between the moisturizer and the breeding of bait insects.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes that Phytoseiulus swirskii can be reared on food such as acarid mites as Carbohydrate mite and Tyrophagus putrescentiae, which are cultured using a medium containing baker's yeast, but does not describe the supply of water to the acarid mites.

[0006] Patent documents 4 to 6 disclose natural enemy insect protection devices that improve the settlement of natural enemy insects by using a moisture-slow-releasing water-retaining material to maintain the proliferation of feeding mites, which serve as food for natural enemy insects, but there is no description of the water to be contained in the water-retaining material.

[0007] "Nigari" is a food additive whose main component is magnesium chloride obtained when refining salt from seawater, and under the Food Sanitation Act, it is called "crude seawater magnesium chloride." In addition to magnesium chloride, "Nigari" also contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, etc. "Nigari" is mainly used as a coagulant for tofu, and there is no evidence that it affects the proliferation of insects, especially natural enemies and acarid mites. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-185222 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-325541 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2008-526199 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-127301 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-29591 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-29589 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] This invention relates to a method for stably producing and supplying acarid mites, which can serve as alternative food for natural enemies in preparation for a decline in the number of pest insects that they normally prey on, and also to a method for maintaining or increasing the population of natural enemies by preventing starvation or escape of the natural enemies through preying on the acarid mites supplied by the method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of various investigations into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have unexpectedly discovered that when a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component" (hereinafter also referred to as the rehydration solution of the present invention) is used, the number of eggs laid by natural enemies and acarid mites increases, and the proliferation rate of natural enemies and acarid mites is greatly improved, thereby completing the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] Even in situations where there are few pests that natural enemies prey on, the population of natural enemies can be maintained or increased by preying on the acarid mites that have increased in number due to the present invention and by using the rehydration solution of the present invention, and pest control by natural enemies can be carried out stably throughout the entire crop cultivation period. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention relates to a method for propagating natural enemies and acarid mites, which serve as food for natural enemies, characterized by using a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component." The present invention also relates to a method for maintaining or increasing the population of natural enemies in a farm field, characterized by (1) propagating acarid mites, which serve as food for natural enemies, in the presence of a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component," and / or (2) providing the natural enemies with a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component."

[0013] In the present invention, the "bittern component" refers to a component obtained when refining salt from seawater, and examples thereof include magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride, with magnesium chloride and calcium chloride being preferred, and magnesium chloride being more preferred.

[0014] The natural enemy organisms in the present invention are organisms that prey on crop pests, and examples thereof include Phytoseiulus californicus, Phytoseiulus swirskii, Phytoseiulus cucumeri, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Phytoseiulus kaempferi, Phytoseiulus longicornis, Phytoseiulus serrata, Phytoseiulus oryzae, Phytoseiulus nigricans ... longicornis, Phytoseiulus degenerans, Phytoseiulus limonica, and Phytoseiulus monteri (Typhlodromips montdorensis), phytoseiid mites such as Andasonic Phytoseiulus, Oriental Phytoseiulus, Amblyseiulus oriensis and Phytoseiulus nigricans, mites of the Takara mite family such as the wall-attached mites, thrips such as Mallotus gracilis, Anthothrips punctatus, Dioscorea orbiculatus, Chinese thrips and Hadenia thrips, stink bugs such as tobacco leaf cricket, Orius striata, Orius striata and Orius shinata, ladybugs such as the small-spotted ladybug, the seven-spotted ladybug, the small red-spotted ladybug, the red-spotted ladybug, the red-spotted ladybug, the Japanese ... Examples include buffaloes such as ladybugs and ladybirds; wasps such as Aphelenchus orbicularis, Aphelenchus japonica, Aphelenchus gifu, Aphelenchus nigricans, Aphelenchus isae, Aphelenchus sieboldii, and Aphelenchus colemanii; flies such as house flies and Musca domestica; preferred are Phytoseiulus californicus, Aphelenchus womersleyi, Aphelenchus kousukei, Aphelenchus swirskii, and Aphelenchus cucumeri, and more preferred are Phytoseiulus californicus, Aphelenchus womersleyi, Aphelenchus kousukei, Aphelenchus swirskii, and Aphelenchus cucumeri.

[0015] The acarid mites in the present invention may be any mites that can attach to food and easily reproduce, and examples thereof include mites of the Acaridae family such as Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Asterix nigricans, Asterix longissimus, Asterix sieboldii, Asterix nigricans, Asterix sieboldii, Asterix tropicalis, and Asterix konoi; mites of the Sarcophagidae family such as Asterix sieboldii, Asterix domestica, Asterix purpurea, and Asterix verrucosa; and mites of the Asteridae family such as Asterix sieboldii, Asterix sieboldii, Asterix purpurea, and Asterix verrucosa. Examples include mites of the Pterygotae family such as Tyrophagus putrescentiae, mites of the Pyrrhidae family such as Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, mites of the Pterygotae family such as Trichosanthes nigricans, mites of the Cheyletidae family such as Cheyletidae and Lucanus stag beetle, and mites of the Tarsorrhizae family such as Tyrophagus oxysporum, preferably Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Gastrodia spp., Tyrophagus sugarcane, and Tyrophagus spp.

[0016] In the present invention, bait for acarid mites may be used. Examples of bait for acarid mites include dried bonito, sugar, miso, chili peppers, kelp, wheat flour, soybean flour, breadcrumbs, dried fruit, long-term storage foods such as cheese and chocolate, bran (also called wheat husk), wheat germ, rice bran, straw, dry yeast, pollen, and molds, with bran, dry yeast, pollen, and molds being preferred.

[0017] The bait for the acarid mites may be fed alone or in mixture, for example, a mixture of sugar and dry yeast or bran, preferably sugar and dry yeast.

[0018] As an environment suitable for the egg-laying and growth of acarid mites, for example, the temperature is usually 15°C to 35°C, preferably 20°C to 30°C, and more preferably 20°C to 25°C, the relative humidity is usually 60% to 95%, preferably 70% to 95%, and more preferably 85% to 95%, and the light conditions during egg-laying usually require a distinction between day and night, with 16 hours of light being more preferable.

[0019] The application rate of the rehydration solution containing "bittern components" is, for example, usually 5 to 500 μl / cm at the place where natural enemies and acarids are introduced. 2 and preferably 10 to 200 μl / cm 2 and more preferably 20 to 100 μl / cm 2 is.

[0020] The concentration of the "bittern component" in the rehydration solution of the present invention is, for example, typically 0.1 to 150 ppm, preferably 1 to 100 ppm, and more preferably 2 to 50 ppm in terms of magnesium chloride, and typically 1 to 100 ppm, and preferably 20 to 50 ppm in terms of calcium chloride.

[0021] The rehydration solution of the present invention can be used by incorporating it into a hydration material or moisturizer. The hydration material or moisturizer is a highly absorbent material, such as cotton-like pulp, superabsorbent resin, and superabsorbent fiber. Examples of superabsorbent resins include sodium polyacrylate and potassium polyacrylate, with sodium polyacrylate being preferred. Specific examples include Sanwet (trade name, manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.), AquaKeep (trade name, manufactured by Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.), Alonzap (trade name, manufactured by Toa Gosei Co., Ltd.), and Aqualic CA (trade name, manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.). Superabsorbent fibers are fibers with a superabsorbent resin such as sodium polyacrylate in the outer layer. Specific examples include Lanseal (trade name, manufactured by Nippon Exlan Co., Ltd.) and Bell Oasis (trade name, manufactured by Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd.). Furthermore, the above materials can be used by wrapping them in, for example, nonwoven fabric or breathable waterproof film. Specific examples of breathable waterproof films include EXCEPOL (trade name: polyolefin microporous film, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) and BREEZE TEX (trade name: polyester non-porous film, manufactured by OG Film Co., Ltd.).

[0022] The rehydration solution of the present invention can be used in combination with a protective container capable of holding the natural enemies, their egg-laying substrates, the acarid mites, and their food. Examples of such protective containers include release bags, protective covers, propagation devices, and protective devices, which provide hiding places and egg-laying sites for the natural enemies and mitigate the effects of temperature and humidity changes and even pesticide sprays, thereby protecting and propagating the natural enemies for a long period of time. In particular, when the rehydration solution of the present invention is incorporated into the rehydration material or moisturizer and placed in the protective container, water droplets are less likely to form within the protective container, the humidity within the protective container is stabilized, and an environment suitable for the growth of the natural enemies and acarid mites is created, thereby increasing the number of natural enemies released.

[0023] The rehydration solution of the present invention can be added to commercially available biological natural enemy insecticides. Specific examples of the natural enemy insecticides whose active ingredient is phytoseiid mites include Spical EX, Spical Plus (trade name: Miyako Phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Arista LifeSciences), Chirigaburi (trade name: persimmon phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: persimmon phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha), Spidex (trade name: persimmon phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: persimmon phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Arista LifeSciences), Chilitop (trade name: persimmon phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: persimmon phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Sumika Technoservices), Chilica Worker (trade name: persimmon phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: Koizumi Seima Co., Ltd.), Swirsky, Swirsky Plus, Swirsky Plus UM (trade name: Swirsky Phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: Swirsky Phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Arista LifeSciences), and Swamit (trade name: Swirsky Phytoseiid mite, active ingredient: Swirsky Phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.). Examples of such insecticides include System Miyako-kun (product name: active ingredient: Miyako phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha), Miyako Top (product name: active ingredient: Miyako phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Agri Soken Co., Ltd.), Miyako Star (product name: active ingredient: Miyako phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Sumika Techno Service Co., Ltd.), System Swal-kun (product name: active ingredient: Swirskii phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha), Limonica (product name: active ingredient: Limonicas phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Arista Life Sciences), Cucumeris (product name: active ingredient: Cucumeris phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Arista Life Sciences), and Meritop (product name: active ingredient: Cucumeris phytoseiid mite, manufactured by Agri Soken Co., Ltd.), and the addition of the rehydration solution increases the number of phytoseiid mites, which are the active ingredient in natural enemy biological insecticides, that are released.

[0024] Specific examples of natural enemy biological insecticides whose active ingredient is thrips include Arigata (trade name; active ingredient: Arigatashima thrips, manufactured by Ryukyu Sankei Co., Ltd.) and Akame (trade name; active ingredient: Akamegashiwakuda thrips, manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Co., Ltd.), and the addition of the rehydration solution increases the number of thrips released.

[0025] Specific examples of natural enemy insecticides whose active ingredients are insecticides against buleworms include Tentop (trade name; active ingredient: ladybug, manufactured by Agri Soken Co., Ltd.), Kamenoko S (trade name; active ingredient: ladybug, manufactured by Sumika Techno Service Co., Ltd.), and Chabara (trade name; active ingredient: chabara oil wasp, manufactured by Sumika Techno Service Co., Ltd.), and the addition of the rehydration solution increases the number of buleworms released.

[0026] Specific examples of natural enemy biological insecticides whose active ingredient is for wasps include Tsuyatop, Tsuyatop 25 (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Agri Soken Co., Ltd.), Enstrip (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Arysta Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), Tsuyaparari (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.), Coletop (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Arysta Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), Coleparari (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Arysta Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), and Elcard (trade name; active ingredient: Agri Soken Co., Ltd., manufactured by Arysta Life Sciences Co., Ltd.), and Examples include Giftpearl (product name; active ingredient: Giftabra wasp, product of Arista Lifesciences), Midorihime (product name; active ingredient: Leafminer green philtrum wasp, product of Arista Lifesciences), Isaparari (product name; active ingredient: Isaea philtrum wasp, product of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha), and Himetop (product name; active ingredient: Isaea philtrum wasp, product of Agri Soken Co., Ltd.), and the addition of the rehydration solution increases the number of wasps released.

[0027] Specific examples of natural enemy biological insecticides whose active ingredient is stink bugs include Rikutop (trade name; active ingredient: Orius strifenidis, manufactured by Agrisect Co., Ltd.), Tairiku (trade name; active ingredient: Orius strifenidis, manufactured by Arista Life Sciences Inc.), and Orister-A (trade name; active ingredient: Orius strifenidis, manufactured by Sumika Technoservice Co., Ltd.), and the addition of the rehydration solution increases the number of stink bugs released.

[0028] Examples of pests that can be controlled by the present invention include spider mites such as citrus red mite, apple red mite, cherry red mite, Kanzawa spider mite, and two-spotted spider mite, dust mites such as Taraxacum officinale and Taraxacum striata, rust mites such as Citrus rust mite, Pear rust mite, and Tomato rust mite, thrips such as Western flower thrips, Southern melon thrips, Yellow tea thrips, Onion thrips, Oriental flower thrips, Soybean white thrips, Black flower thrips, Croton thrips, Flower thrips, and Tiger thrips, greenhouse whitefly, Taba Examples include whiteflies such as the cotton whitefly (biotype B, biotype Q, biotype JpL, biotype Nauru), silverleaf whitefly and aphids such as the cotton aphid, green peach aphid, strawberry root aphid, radish aphid, Kurosawa aphid, chrysanthemum aphid, Taiwanese nail aphid, burdock aphid, yellow long-horned aphid, artemisia aphid, chrysanthemum long-horned aphid, wheat long-horned aphid, potato long-horned aphid and pear aphid.

[0029] Crops that can be protected by the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are agriculturally useful, and examples thereof include Gramineae crops such as rice, wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, and sugarcane; Legumes crops such as soybeans, kidney beans, green beans, and adzuki beans; Cruciferae crops such as cabbage, Chinese cabbage, radish, turnip, broccoli, cauliflower, and rapeseed; Asteraceae crops such as lettuce, garland chrysanthemum, edible chrysanthemum, and burdock; Solanaceae crops such as eggplant, tomato, bell pepper, tobacco, and potato; Cucurbitaceae crops such as cucumber, melon, watermelon, and pumpkin; Allium crops such as leeks, chives, radishes, and garlic; parsley, celery, and Examples of suitable crops include Umbelliferae crops such as carrots and lilies, Liliaceae crops such as lilies, tulips, and asparagus, Chenopodiaceae crops such as spinach and sugar beet, Vitaceae crops such as grapes, Rosaceae crops such as roses, strawberries, apples, pears, pears, peaches, loquats, cherries, and almonds, Rutaceae crops such as mandarins, lemons, and oranges, Ebenaceae crops such as persimmons, Anacardiaceae crops such as mangoes, Theaceae crops such as tea, Convolvulaceae crops such as sweet potatoes, Polygonaceae crops such as buckwheat, Zingiberaceae crops such as ginger and ginger, Lamiaceae plants such as perilla, and flowering plants such as chrysanthemums, roses, carnations, and gerberas.

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below. (1) A method for propagating natural enemies and acarid mites, which serve as food for natural enemies, characterized by using a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component." (2) The method according to (1), wherein the "bittern component" is at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate. (3) The method according to (1) or (2), wherein the "bittern component" is at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. (4) The method according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the "bittern component" is magnesium chloride. (5) The method according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the natural enemy organism is at least one species selected from the group consisting of phytoseiid mites, thrips, bule mites, wasps, flies, and stink bugs. (6) The method according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the phytoseiid mites are at least one species selected from the group consisting of Phytoseiulus californicus, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Phytoseiulus swirskii, Phytoseiulus womersleyi, Phytoseiulus kazusaka, Phytoseiulus limonica, Phytoseiulus montdorensis, degenerans phytoseiid mites, Phytoseiulus andersonii, Phytoseiulus orientalis, Phytoseiulus persicae, Phytoseiulus persicae, Phytoseiulus hairii, Phytoseiulus oryzae, and Phytoseiulus cucumeris. (7) The method according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the thrips are at least one species selected from the group consisting of Mallotus japonicus, Oriental thrips, Dioscorea orbiculatus, Chinese thrips, and Hadrian thrips. (8) The method according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the stink bug is at least one species selected from the group consisting of the tobacco white stink bug, the Orius strigiformes, and the Orius pacificus. (9) The method according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the acarid mites are at least one species selected from the group consisting of Carob mite, Glycyrrhiza gracilis, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Acarus sieboldii, Acarus tropicalis, and Acarus arvensis. (10) The method according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the acarid mites are at least one species selected from the group consisting of Carob mite, Glycyrrhiza gracilis, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

[0031] (11) A container for holding a natural enemy organism according to (5) to (8), an egg-laying substrate for the natural enemy organism, acarid mites according to (9) or (10), bait suitable for the acarid mites, and a hydrating material, A propagation container or protection container for natural enemy organisms, characterized in that a rehydration material contains the rehydration solution described in (1) to (4). (12) The protective container according to (11), wherein the container is at least one selected from the group consisting of a release bag, a protective cover, a propagation device, and a protection device. (13) A protective container according to (11) or (12), which has at least one entrance / exit or drainage outlet for natural enemy organisms. (14) The protective container according to any one of (11) to (13), wherein the humidity inside the protective container is 85% or more.

[0032] (15) Use of the protective container according to any one of (11) to (14) for controlling pests of crops. (16) The use according to (15), wherein the crop pest is a whitefly, a thrip, a mite, or an aphid. (17) The use according to (15) or (16), wherein the whiteflies are Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Bemisia tabaci, Silverleaf whitefly, Brown spine whitefly, or Azalea whitefly. (18) The use according to (15) or (16), wherein the thrips are western flower thrips, southern melon thrips, green tea thrips, plain flower thrips, black flower thrips, white flower thrips, flower thrips, croton thrips, onion thrips, or tiger thrips. (19) The use according to (15) or (16), wherein the mites are citrus red mites, European red mites, Kanzawa spider mites, two-spotted spider mites, citrus rust mites, tomato rust mites, false pear rust mites, or brown dust mites. (20) The use according to (15) or (16), wherein the aphids are cotton aphid, green peach aphid, strawberry root aphid, radish aphid, chrysanthemum aphid, apple aphid, pear aphid, or potato aphid. (21) The use according to (15), wherein the crop is eggplant, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, cabbage, lettuce, chrysanthemum, rose, carnation, gerbera, dahlia, apple, pear, cherry, citrus, mango, loquat, strawberry, melon, watermelon, myoga, perilla, asparagus, snow pea, or kidney bean. [Example]

[0033] Examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Example 1 Sugar mite rearing test (effect of water supply) Twenty pieces of qualitative black filter paper (131-B 100 mm; Advantec) were secured to the bottom of an SPL Insect Breeding Dish (SPL-310050; 50 mm x 15 mm; Biomedical Sciences) with cellophane tape. To prevent the escape of sugar mites, Tanglefoot (a mixture of natural rubber, vegetable oil, and wax; Tanglefoot Company) was applied to the cellophane tape. A 4:6 mixture of dried yeast EBIOS (Asahi Group Foods) and sucrose (Nacalai Tesque) was placed on the black filter paper as food. 120 μl of Milli-Q (Merck) purified water was dispensed onto the black filter paper. Five adult female sugar mites were introduced into each area (five replicates), and the mites were reared in a growth chamber (MLR-352H, Panasonic) at 25°C, 85% or 95% relative humidity, and under lighting for 16 hours, then shaded and reared for another 8 hours, after which the number of eggs laid was counted, or the mites were reared in the shade for 24 hours and then the number of eggs laid was counted.

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] Example 2 Sugar mite rearing test (effect of adding bittern ingredients) Using the same equipment as in Example 1, Tenkai no Nigari (trade name; manufactured by Ako Kasei Co., Ltd.), magnesium chloride, or calcium chloride was added to pure water, and 120 μl of the aqueous solution was prepared to a predetermined concentration. Then, sugar mites were introduced and the mites were raised under lighting at 95% humidity for 16 hours, then shaded, and raised for a further 8 hours, after which the number of eggs laid was counted.

[0036] [Table 2]

[0037] Example 3 Mite species rearing test (effect of adding bittern ingredients) Using the same equipment as in Example 1, Tenkai's bittern was added to pure water to prepare an aqueous solution with a magnesium chloride concentration of 25 ppm. 120 μl of this solution was then dropped onto black filter paper, and Carbohydrate mites, Glycine sativa, Predator miyakoi or Predator swirskii were then introduced. The mites were then raised at 95% humidity under light for 16 hours, then shaded and raised for a further 8 hours, after which the number of eggs laid was counted.

[0038] [Table 3]

Claims

1. A method for propagating natural enemies and acarid mites that serve as food for natural enemies, characterized in that a rehydration solution containing a "bittern component" is used (excluding the purpose of humidity control), The "bittern component" is at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate, the natural enemy organism is at least one phytoseiid mite selected from the group consisting of Phytoseiulus californicus, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Phytoseiulus swirskii, Phytoseiulus womersleyi, Phytoseiulus cucumeri, Phytoseiulus limonica, Phytoseiulus montdorensis, Phytoseiulus degenerans, Phytoseiulus andersonii, Phytoseiulus orientalis, Phytoseiulus persicae, Phytoseiulus hairii, Phytoseiulus oryzae, and Phytoseiulus kaempferi, The method as described above, wherein the acarid mites are at least one species selected from the group consisting of Carob mite, Glycyrrhiza gracilis, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Acarus sieboldii, Acarus tropicalis, and Acarus arvensis.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the "bittern component" is at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium chloride and calcium chloride.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the "bittern component" is magnesium chloride.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acarid mite is at least one species selected from the group consisting of Carob mite, Glycyrrhiza gracilis, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

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