Corn-Banks Grass Mite-Predator System Model

Banks grass mite (BGM), Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), is a serious pest of corn, Zea mays L., in the semi-arid high plains of the United States. Studies have been conducted on BGM, its predators, and the interactions of BGM with the corn plant, predators, and environmental factors. Because of the resistance of BGM to most registered acarides, there is an increasing need for alternative and/or supplementary BGM control measures, e.g. development of mite-resistant corn cultivars and biological control.The predator complex on irrigated corn is dominated by four seasonally varying predators Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman), Orius insidiosis (Say), Scolothrips sexmaculatus Pergande, and Stethorus picipes Casey.

Because the effectiveness of these predators in BGM control depends on their relative composition, and their interactions with BGM, corn plants and environmental factors, development of an effective biocontrol-oriented BGM management system would definitely require a quantitative approach in describing the critical interactions.

Researchers have developed simulation models on corn-BGM-predator system, but those models do not include all four predator species. The emphasis of our study is to develop optimal BGM management strategies based on data from field experiments and from computer simulation of a corn-BGM-predator system, including four predator species, and within-plant spatial dynamics of corn, BGM, and predators.

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