The rice mite Steneotarsonemus Spinki Smiley – an invasive species in the Americas

Authors: Ochoa, Ronald - Ron; DENISE NAVIA, RENATA MENDONCA - BRASILIA, DF

Submitted to: Acarology International Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2007
Publication Date: 12/1/2009
Citation: Ochoa, R., Denise Navia, R. 2009. The rice mite Steneotarsonemus Spinki Smiley – an invasive species in the Americas. Acarology International Congress Proceedings. 379-384.

Interpretive Summary: The panicle rice mite causes severe loses to rice production around the world, costing many millions of dollars annually. It is considered a major invasive pest in the Americas. This paper provides a summary of the history of the spread of this mite, its biology, and control measures used against it. This information will be important to plant quarantine officers, plant protection workers, rice farmers, the rice industry, and extension workers and state agriculture departments in states that produce rice.

Technical Abstract: Phytophagous mites are prone to become Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in agricultural systems due to their feeding damage on plants, ability to vector plant disease, rapid development of resistance to pesticides, difficult detection, capacity to survive adverse conditions, parthenogenesis and adaptation to new host plants. There are numerous historic examples of inadvertent introductions of phytophagous mites in new areas where they found favorable conditions to develop in the absence of efficient natural enemies, resulting in accentuated damages to the infested crops and consequent social-economic negative impact. During recent years the tarsonemid mite Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley has become an important invasive phytophagous mite in America, where it has been rapidly disseminated and has caused serious damage to rice crops in affected production areas. This mite represents a serious threat to the most important rice production countries in South and North America.