Effects of Fungicide Residues on Phytophagous and Predacious Mites

Subclass Acari, which includes mites and ticks, forms an important part of the arthropodan class Arachnida. Mites have a worldwide distribution; they rival insects in the extent of their hibernation. They live in saline and fresh water, in organic debris of all kinds, and on plants and animals. Their associations with other animals include commensalism, predation and true parasitism. Therefore, they may cause serious damage to agricultural crops, ornamental plants, and stored products (Jeppson et al., 1975). Biological control provides an environmentally safe, cost ¿ effective, and energy ¿ efficient means of pest control, either alone or as a component of integrated pest management (Gerson and Smiley, 1990). The predatory mites in the family phytoseiidae are examples of biological control agents that have been recognized only recently as effective components of agricultural systems. The relative slowness with which this fact was recognized suggested that other mite groups may be overlooked at present but be capable of serving as effective biological control agents (Hoy et al., 1983).