الفهرس 
I. INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Different mites (including pests and predacious ones) and insect’s families are found throughout the world associated with date palm fruits in the field and during storage period. Mite´s and insect fauna have received a very little consideration and the groundwork for essential taxonomic, ecological and biological studies on the different mites attacking date palm fruits is rare. The results of the present study can be summarized as the follows:
Survey of mite species associated with different date fruits
Survey study on different mite suborders associated with date palm fruits in different localities in Egypt through 4-years revealed the occurrence of 84 mite species belonging to 53 genera and 25 families under four suborders infested different fruit materials. The suborder Astigmata in this study was represented by 21 different species belongs to 11 genera and 4 families. The families were Acaridae (13 species), Lardoglyphidae (1 species), Glycyphagidae (6 species) and Pyroglyphidae (1 species). The most abundant mites in this suborder were Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Rhizoglyphusrobini, R. echinopus (Acaridae) and Lepidoglyphus destructor (Glycyphagidae). The study showed that the mites belongs to suborder Prostigmata inhabiting different habitats of date fruits were represented by 38 mite species belonging to 26 genera in 11 families. The collected families were Tydeidae (12 species); Stigmaeidae (2 species); Pyemotidae, Caligonellidae, Bdellidae, Eupodidae and Tarsonemidae (one species for each family); Camerobiidae (2 species); Cheyletidae (12 species); Cunaxidae (3 species); and Rhagididae (2 species).The most abundant prostigmatid mites in this study were Orthotydeuslongisetosus, O. californicus (Tydeidae); Cheyletus malaccensis and C. eruditus (Cheyletidae).
During this study, twenty-three mite species belonging to 12 genera in 9 families of gamasid mites (Mesostigmata) were recorded as well. The families were Ascidae (12 species); Ameroseiidae, Uropodidae and Laelapidae (2 species for each); Macrochelidae, Pachylaelapidae, Anystidae, Trachyuropodidae and Parasitidae (one species for each family).The dominant mite species was Proctolaelaps gizanensis (Ascidae) and the mite Androlaelaps aegyptiaca (Laelapidae).On the other hand, the cryptostigmatids mites (Cryptostigmata) were represented by three different species belongs to family Oribatulidae namely Schleoribatus zaheri, Schleoribatus laevigatus and Zygoribtula sayedi. The results indicated that the fallen and stored date fruits were the most fruits containing mite species, 53 and 34 mites, respectively, but the fresh date fruits infested with 18 mite species. The residue fruits on trees were included two mites, while, the Agwa product had one mite species.The study indicated that the mite species numbers and abundance ratios differed in different regions, where, El-Menofia Governorate represented the highest number (45) and the most abundant species were, T. putrescentiae, R. robini, L. destructor, O. californicus, T. graneries, P. pygmaeus, P. gizanensis, P. orientalis, B. keegani, A. aegyptiacus, C. eruditus, and C. malaccensis.However, the study regions Beni Suief, Sohag and Cairo governorates were the lowest regions and included 3 different mite species for each region. The obtained results denoted that the most abundant mite family associated with different date fruits was Acaridae (Astigmata) which represented by 13 species i.e. (15.476 %) of the total mite species, followed by Tydeidae, Cheyletidae (Prostigmata) and Ascidae (Mesostigmata) which represented by 12 species (14.286 %) of the total mite species. it could be arranged in the following descending suborders: Prostigmata (45.2 %), Mesostigmata (26.18 %), Astigmata (24.99 %), and Cryptostigmata (3.6 %).
Effect of different storage conditions on the abundance of mites infesting date palm fruits.
The current study showed that the storage conditions (Agouha Khish, Cardboard boxes and plastic bags) affected on the abundance of the mite species. The T. putrescentiaewas the only dominant stored mites infesting the date palm fruits at Ashmoun district, as, it collected on different fruits exposed to different storage conditions, but it collected with high numbers hen the fruits stored in Agouha Khish. On the other hand, the predacous mites, C. malaccensis and C. eruditus infested the fruits in Agouha Khish with high number, as they disappeared inside Cardboard boxes, but the first one collected with moderate numbers associated with date fruits inside plastic bags. However, the ascid mites, B. dentriticus and B. keegani were associated with date fruits inside the Agouha Khish only with moderate numbers and the second one was collected inside the plastic bags with moderate numbers.The mitesL. destructor and L. aegypticus were collected associated with date palm fruits stored in Agouha Khish.
Survey of Insect pests attacking dates during plantation, harvest and storage
The insect survey study revealed the presence of twelve species in 3 orders and 8 families as important pests of date palm in this study. The most abundant family was Nitidulidae (5 species), but the rest collected families (Scolytidae, Cucujidae, Anobiidae, Tenebrionidae, Muscidae, Eulophidae and Pteromelidae) were collected as one species for each. The stored fruits were attacked by Carpophilus hemipterus, Carpophilus mutilatus, Coccotrypes dactyliperda, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Lasioderma serricorm and Tribolium confusum. On the other hand, the fallen fruits in this study were infested by Carpophilus hemipterus, C. immaculatus, C.
mutilatus, C. dimidiatus, Carpophilus sp., Coccotrypes dactyliperda and Lasioderma serricorm. The fresh date palm fruits were attacked in this study by Lasioderma serricorm, Fannia incisurata, Tetrastichus sp. and Pteromalus sp. The most common date fruits insects in this study were Carpophilus hemipterus, C. mutilatus and Tribolium confusum, as, they appeared infested fruits during the study periods with very high abundance.
The study also indicated that the insect C. hemipterus was collected associated with (10 mite species) in El-Sadat region on fallen date fruits and with (5 species) in Ashmoun region on stored fruits. The same results indicated that the insect C. immaculatus was surveyed associated with 3 mite species in Rashid region and with 2 mite species in El-Sadat regioninhabiting fallen date fruits. On the other hand, the insect, C. mutilatus was recorded associated with two mites in both El-Sadat and Ashmoun regions on fallen and stored fruits.
Effect of different temperatures and preys on some biological aspects of the predatory mites Androlaelaps aegypticus (Laelapidae)and Proctolaelaps gizanensis (Ascidae).
The present work aimed to throw some lights on the biological aspects of the two mesostigmatid mites, A. aegypticus and Proctolaelaps gizanensis on three stored product mite pests, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Rhizoglyphus echinopus and Lepidoglyphus destructor already infesting date palm fruits under different Laboratory conditions.
Androlaelaps aegypticus
Incubation period
The egg duration of A. aegypticus was significantly varied with food sources provided to parental females or temperature. This period lasted the longest period (3.2 days) when female indivduals fed on T. putrescentiae at
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20ºC changed to recorded the shortest time when the male reared on L. destructor at 30 °C. (1.61 days).
Immature stagess
Developmental rate of the predacous mite, A. aegypticus stages are strongly influenced by temperature and the kind of introduced prey. The period of immature males and females of A. aegypticus was significantly influenced as it duarted the longest period when the this mite fed on immature stages of T. putrescentiae (5.79 days) at 20 ºC for female indivduals, but this period shortest to recorded the lowest period when the male reared on the immature stages of, L. destructorat 30 ºC.(3.89 days).
Life cycle
The effect of temperatures and prey on A. aegyptiacuslife cycle was observed during this study. As temperature increased from 20 to 30 ºC, the females and males life cycle decreased, where the longest period was observed when the female fed on T.putrescentiae at 20 ºC. lasted 8.99 days, which highly decreased to recorded 5.5 days for male indivduals when fed on L. destructor immatures at 30 ºC.
Longevity
Concerning the duration of adult sates of A. aegyptiacus, the resulted (females and males) were significantly differed according to the different experiment conditions. The longevity took an average 65.0, 60.1, 50.1 days when females fed at 20 ºC on immatures of T. putrescentiae, R.echinopus and L. destructor, respectively, changed to 60.0, 55.15 and 44.95 days at 25 ºC & 55.0, 49.8 and 40.0 days at 30 ºC, when fed on the same trend of introduced prey, respectively. The adult male took the longest period (59.9 days) when fed on immatures of T. putrescentiae at 20 ºC, which in turn decreased to recorded the shortest time (32.8 days) on L. destructor immatures at 30 ºC.
Preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods
The current studyshowed that the preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods of adult female of A.aegypticuslongest when fed on T. putrescentiae immatures than those fed on R. echinopus and L. destructor immatures. The longest oviposition period of the mite obtained when the individuals fed on immatures of T. putrescentiae (58.99 days) at 20 °C , but the shortest period recorded on L. destructor at 30 ºC (34.86 days).
Fecundity
The obtained data in this study clearly indicated that the feeding on T. putrescentiae immature stages significantly increased the number of eggs deposited by the mite, as the largest number was 59.7eggs / female at 30 ºC.
Daily rate
The highest rate of female egg deposing was recorded for A.aegypticus on L. destructor immature stages at 30 ºC (1.3 eggs), but the lowest daily rate was noticed when A. aegypticus reared on R. echinopus immature stages at 20 ºC (0.73 eggs).
Life span
The duration life span of A. aegypticus differed on different diets, as it prolonged when females fed on T. putrescentiae immature stages at 25 ºC, (74.0 days), and the shortest period observed when the male individuals fed on L. destructor at 30 ºC, and recorded (38.45 days).
Proctolaelaps gizanensis
Incubation period
The highest mean incubation period of P. gizanensiswas recorded when the female fed on the immatures of T. putrescentiae (2.4 days) at 20 ºC, but the
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lowest recorded incubation period was obtained when the male individuals fed on the immatures of L. destructor at 30 ºC (1.52 days),
Immature stages
The current study showed that this mite took the longest periods for female than male ones and the longest immature stages (13.19 days) was recorded when the female fed on the immature stages of T. putrescentiae at 20 ºC, but the shortest period was noticed when the male members reared on L. destructor immature stages at 30 ºC and recorded (9.28 days).
Life cycles
The current study showed that the life cycle of P. gizanensis was faster for the male members when fed on L. destructor immature at 30 ºC, recording 10.79 days but this period was longed to the highest time (15.59 days) when the female reared at 20 ºC, during the feeding on the immature stages of T. putrescentiae.
Longevity
The mean longevity period of P. gizanensis adult female when fed on T. putrescentiae at 20 ˚C took the longest period (20.95 days) before the death of the mites, as the rest of diets and temperature decreased this period, where, the shortest period averaged 12.51 days for the males when fed on L. destructor at 30 ºC.
Preoviposition, oviposition
and postoviposition periods
The current study showed that no significant differences occurred between preoviposition periods of P. gizanensis on the different diets at different temperature, while oviposition periods varied according to the introduced prey. This difference was significantly longer when the female of P. gizanensis fed on T. putrescentiae at 25 ºC. than the other two astigmatid mites. The oviposition periods were, 14.5, 13.14 and 11.97 days when the females fed on T. putrescentiae immature stages at 20, 25 and 30 ºC, respectively, changed to 14.22, 13.27 and 11.49 days on immatures of R.
echinopus, respectively, while recorded 12.91, 11.49 and 10.03 days on immatures of L. destructor, respectively.
Fecundity
The obtained results in this study showed that the prey suitability clearly affects the number of deposited eggs deposited by the adult female of P.gizanensis. The highest number of eggs was observed for the female fed on T. putrescentiae immature stages at 30 ºC, (25.9 eggs), while the lowest number was recorded on immatures of L. destructor at 20 ºC, (16.0 eggs).
Daily rate
The highest daily rate of egg laying was noticed when the adult females of P. gizanensis when the immature stages of T. putrescentiae were used as food at 30 ºC which averaged (2.18 eggs/day) but the lowest value was recorded for the females fed on L.destructor immature stages at 20 ºC (1.68 eggs/day).
Life span
Accordingly, the life span also affected by feeding of the predatory mite, P. gizanensis on different preys. The female life span of P. gizanensis resulted from feeding on immature stages of T. putrescentiae recorded the highest period (36.54 day), which remarkably decreased to its lowest level during the feeding of male individuals on the immatures of L. destructor at 30 ºC and recorded (23.3 days).
Effect of mite’s infestation on date palm fruits composition
The current study indicated that when the date palm fruits exposed to infestation with different population of the acarid mite, R.echinopus, the different composition of date fruits were differed than non-exposed ones as follows: -
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total protein contents of date palm fruits The obtained results in this study showed that total protein in the date palm fruits differed according to the number of mites infested the fruits. The protein of infested date fruits was decreased when compared with those of untreated fruits, and slightly differences in protein contents occurred between the different tested fruits.
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total carbohydrates contents of date palm fruits
The study data indicated that there was highly significantly difference occurred between the date palm fruits infested by different numbers of the acarid mite, R. echinopus. As shown in the obtained data, the total carbohydrates contents were increased in the pure (uninfested) fruits compared with the different infested fruits and the least carbohydrates contents were observed in the date fruits which already infested with 200 mites individuals (550.67 mg/gm) of date fruits.
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on Total nitrogen contents of date palm fruits
The results showed that there was slightly difference between the different fruits infested with different categories of the astigmatid mite, R. echinopus. When the number of mites infested thee fruits increased from 50 to 200 mites the total contents of nitrogen decreased compared with the pure fruits.The lowest nitrogen content of fruits (209.0 ug/gm) was observed when the fruits infested with 200 indivduals of the astigmatid mite, R.echinopus, when compared with (258.33 ug/gm) in pure fruits.
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total phosphorus contents of date palm fruits
Considering the phosphorus contents in the date pal fruits, the obtained data indicated that there were no significantly differences between the fruits infested with 50 and 100 mite individuals, but the difference in the content
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was recorded when the tested fruits exposed to infestation with 200 individuals of R. echinopus when compared with the non-treated fruits (control). The lowest content of phosphorus was recorded for the fruits already infested with 200 mites (359.67 ug/gm) of fruit in comparison with 483.6 ug/gm in case of non-treated fruits
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total potassium contents of date palm fruits
The current study revealed that there were obviously significant differences between he potassium contents in the date palm fruits as they infested with different categories of the population of R. echinopus, as, this content was 2779.33, 3273.0 and 2837.0 ug/gm of date fruits when the date fruits infested with 50, 100 and 200 mites, respectively.
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total calcium contents of date palm fruits
The results of biochemical of date palm fruit composition showed that the highest level of calcium contents in date fruits infested already with 200 mite individuals of R. echinopus (539.67 ug/gm) of date fruits, but he lowest level of contents was noticed when the date fruits devoided the mites infestation. Also, the obtained results indicated that the calcium contents of fruits increased with increasing the number of introduced mites.
Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total moisture contents of date palm fruits
Concerning the moisture contents of date palm fruits, the study indicated that those contents was increased to its highest level in case of date fruits infestation with 200 mites in comparison with other categories and control as, it reached to 21.97 %, while the least contents of moistu was observed in date fruits free from R. echinopus infestations (7.98.%).
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Effect of R. echinopus infestation on total crude fiber contents of date palm fruits
The crude fiber contents were decreased when the fruits exposed to R. echinopus, as they were 17.67, 17.74 and 16.37 % in case of exposure the fruits to 50, 100 and 200 mites indivduals, respectively, in comparison with the natural content ratio which was 20.87 % in case of avoiding the mite’s infestation.
Effect of some plant oils on Rhizoglyphus echinopus
The toxic effect of alternative 6 different plant oils (camphor, clove, citrus, cumin, parsley and mint) against the mite, R.echinopuswas determined using dry yeast as food source (under room temperature). Data proved that camphor, clove and cumin oils exhibited an obviously degree of efficiency against R.echinopus after one week of mite exposure. The mortality percentages were 100.0, 50.0 and 45.0 %, respectively.After two weeks of exposure, these plant oils caused 100.0, 75.0 and 98.0 %, respectively. On the other hand, the citrus oilhad no acaricidal effect on the population of the tested mites after three days and one week of exposure. After two weeks of exposure, the citrus oil caused 60 % reduction of mite population. The mint oil gave 4.0, 10 % reduction of the mite population after three days and one week of exposure, respectively. This ratio was sharply increased after two weeks to recorded 100 % mite individual’sreduction.
Camphor, clove and cumin oils were further used against the mite R. echinopus using date palm fruits as food sources. The obtained data showed that all the tested oils caused 100 % mite mortality against R. echinopus after two weeks of exposure. The effectiveness of these oils against R. echinopus movable stages was depend on the exposure time interval, which increased by increasing the exposure time.
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In conclusion, the current experiment suggests that the oils of camphor, clove and cumin were good biological alternatives for reduction the astigmatid mite, R.echinopus when used as fumigants at the room conditions. Therefore, the present investigation indicated that, botanical derivatives may be useful tool as store-mites control agents for commercial use. These finding needs more studies to establish their improvement as protectants,which could be used in IPM program for controlling R.echinopus.