Acaricidal activity of compounds on Schizotetranychus hindustanicus (Hirst), (Acari: Tetranychidae), citrus hindu mite

Citrus x latifolia Tanaka ex Q. Jim??nez or Tahiti lime has a significant percentage within the commercial citrus chain in Colombia. Schizotetranychus hindustanicus or hindu mite, produces typical lesions in the upper part of the leaves and fruits, characterized by circular whitish spots, which correspond to the cobwebs that the female weaves, reducing the aesthetic value of the fruit and its commercialization. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the acaricidal effects of different compounds through three contact times on populations of the mite. The following compounds were evaluated: oleaginous extract of Neem-Azadirachta indica 1.0 %, 0.5 % micronized sulfur, 0.4 % water soluble extract of Azadirachtin, 15 % ash broth filtrate, and a control of Abamectin 0.2 %, recognized for its acaricidal effect. Water distilled was used as a negative control. It was evidenced that the most effective treatments were Neem-A. indica oleaginous extract at 1.0 %, micronized sulfur at 0.5 %, and Abamectin at 0.2 %, with mortality values of 96.4, 97.9 and 100 % at 72 h, respectively. These results allow suggesting the use of natural compounds based on Azadirachta indica in oleaginous solutions for the control of the mite, since they do not affect the ecosystem, and resistance to them has not been reported.