Host Mite Selection for Prolonged Phytoseiid Release Duration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current phytoseiid mite releasing systems have limited duration and cumulative production, typically lasting only 3 to 6 weeks and producing around 300 to 400 individuals per gram carrier, due to the intrinsic growth rate of host mites.
Innovation Solution
Selecting host mites with an intrinsic growth rate (rm) of less than 0.28 to create a phytoseiid predatory mite releasing system that extends the release duration beyond 6 weeks and increases the cumulative production of phytoseiid predators to over 400 individuals per gram carrier, using a combination of suitable phytoseiid mites and host mites with controlled dispersal activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If host mites with high intrinsic growth rate are used in the releasing system, then the cumulative production of phytoseiid predators increases, but the duration of releasing activity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of host mite selection from intrinsic growth rate to dispersal activity. By selecting host mites with low dispersal activity (specifically moving from one leaf to another leaf on the same plant rather than between plants), the system achieves both prolonged release duration (8-10 weeks) and adequate cumulative production (200-400 predators per gram carrier), resolving the contradiction between duration and productivity.
2Productivity
If host mites with high dispersal activity are used, then the phytoseiid predators are released more actively, but the releasing duration is limited to 3-6 weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the dispersal behavior parameter of host mites by selecting species that exhibit low dispersal activity. The chosen host mites move between leaves on the same plant rather than dispersing to other plants, which keeps them contained within the releasing system longer. This parameter change extends the releasing duration to 8-10 weeks while maintaining release activity through the selection of appropriate host mite species and food sources.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention in general relates to the field of biological crop protection by use of phytoseiid predatory mites. More particularly the present invention relates to a system for releasing a phytoseiid predatory mite in a crop and novel uses of host mites in such phytoseiid predatory mite releasing system. The phytoseiid predatory mite releasing system according to the invention and the uses according to the invention are characterised by the selection a host mite species having an intrinsic growth rate (rm) of <0.28.