Yield loss to corn from feeding by the Banks grass mite and two-spotted spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae)
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Our research was designed to determine the effects of a mite complex consisting of the Banks grass mite (BGM), Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), and the two-spotted spider mites (TSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, on corn yield and plant lodging. For BGM, mite days and damage rating for the whole plant and leaves in the lower third of a corn plant had the best correlation with corn yield. The best correlation with yield for TSM was plant damage ratings. The percentage loss per unit for most independent variables (mite densities, mite days, or percentage of the leaf area damaged on a plant) was very similar for BGM and TSM. Therefore, the same economic threshold can be used for either mite species. When TSM fed on corn in the dent growth stage, yield was not reduced, and their feeding did not influence corn plant lodging. 1993, Science and Technology Letters. All rights reserved.
