against both Th. tabaci and Te. urticae in choice tests than no-choice tests. Jalili
Zennozi et al. (2016) studied the effect of familiarity on group formation and
predation rate of A. swirskii. They declared that familiar individuals tend more to
create group and predation rate than unfamiliars.
3.2.1.4.4 Life Table Parameters
Life table is a useful method for summarizing the survival and reproductive potential
of a population, and its parameters can be used in the studies of population ecology
(Sakai et al. 2001), conservation (Wilcox and Murphy 1985), demographic ecotoxicology (Stark and Banks 2003), harvesting theory (Chi 1994) and pest control
timing (Chi 1990). In the female age specific life table, only female individuals are
involved. Since most species are bisexual and there are many differences between
male and female individuals in longevity, survival rate, predation rate and pesticide
susceptibility, and neglecting the variable developmental rate and male population,
may cause errors in calculating demographic parameters (Chi and Liu 1985).
Therefore, an age-stage, two-sex life table theory was developed to resolve these
problems by including the stage separation and male population (Chi and Liu 1985;
Chi 1988). The two-sex life table can calculate the age and stage structure of a
two-sex population and helpful in timing pest management decisions (Chi 1990).
Demographic parameters are the best indicators of fitness of a population and
suitable criteria for comparing physiological states of different species, populations,
etc. or even as bioclimatic or nutritional indices (Dent and Walton 1997). Also, in
biological control programs, population growth rate is an essential criterion for
preliminary screening and choice of potential biocontrol agents (van Lenteren and
Woets 1988). As showed in Table 3.2, life table parameters can be affected by
several factors, such as temperature (Jafari et al. 2010; Ganjisaffar et al. 2011b;
Kouhjani-Gorji et al. 2012), host plant (Khanamani et al. 2015), type of prey
(Rahmani et al. 2009a; Khodayari et al. 2013) and sublethal effects of acaricides
(Hamedi et al. 2010, 2011; Alinejad et al. 2014, 2016; Maroufpoor et al. 2016a, b).
3.2.1.4.5 The Effect of Host Plants on Predatory Mites
Plants are the natural habitat where herbivores live, feed and meet their natural
enemies. The leaf surface in term of having domatia, trichomes, hairs and also
presence of volatile substances and toxic compounds can directly affect a natural
enemy’s success in searching for and controlling the herbivores (Hunter 2003; Ode
et al. 2004; Soufbaf et al. 2012) and interactions between phytophagous arthropods
and their biological control agents (including predators) can be impressed by
chemical and physical characteristics of their host plants (Cédola et al. 2001;
Madadi et al. 2008; Soufbaf et al. 2012; Khanamani et al. 2015; Alipour et al.
2016; Bahari et al. 2018). The secondary metabolites in plant tissues can directly
influence the growth of herbivores and they can indirectly affect the performance of
3 Biological Control of Pests by Mites in Iran
99
Zennozi et al. (2016) studied the effect of familiarity on group formation and
predation rate of A. swirskii. They declared that familiar individuals tend more to
create group and predation rate than unfamiliars.
3.2.1.4.4 Life Table Parameters
Life table is a useful method for summarizing the survival and reproductive potential
of a population, and its parameters can be used in the studies of population ecology
(Sakai et al. 2001), conservation (Wilcox and Murphy 1985), demographic ecotoxicology (Stark and Banks 2003), harvesting theory (Chi 1994) and pest control
timing (Chi 1990). In the female age specific life table, only female individuals are
involved. Since most species are bisexual and there are many differences between
male and female individuals in longevity, survival rate, predation rate and pesticide
susceptibility, and neglecting the variable developmental rate and male population,
may cause errors in calculating demographic parameters (Chi and Liu 1985).
Therefore, an age-stage, two-sex life table theory was developed to resolve these
problems by including the stage separation and male population (Chi and Liu 1985;
Chi 1988). The two-sex life table can calculate the age and stage structure of a
two-sex population and helpful in timing pest management decisions (Chi 1990).
Demographic parameters are the best indicators of fitness of a population and
suitable criteria for comparing physiological states of different species, populations,
etc. or even as bioclimatic or nutritional indices (Dent and Walton 1997). Also, in
biological control programs, population growth rate is an essential criterion for
preliminary screening and choice of potential biocontrol agents (van Lenteren and
Woets 1988). As showed in Table 3.2, life table parameters can be affected by
several factors, such as temperature (Jafari et al. 2010; Ganjisaffar et al. 2011b;
Kouhjani-Gorji et al. 2012), host plant (Khanamani et al. 2015), type of prey
(Rahmani et al. 2009a; Khodayari et al. 2013) and sublethal effects of acaricides
(Hamedi et al. 2010, 2011; Alinejad et al. 2014, 2016; Maroufpoor et al. 2016a, b).
3.2.1.4.5 The Effect of Host Plants on Predatory Mites
Plants are the natural habitat where herbivores live, feed and meet their natural
enemies. The leaf surface in term of having domatia, trichomes, hairs and also
presence of volatile substances and toxic compounds can directly affect a natural
enemy’s success in searching for and controlling the herbivores (Hunter 2003; Ode
et al. 2004; Soufbaf et al. 2012) and interactions between phytophagous arthropods
and their biological control agents (including predators) can be impressed by
chemical and physical characteristics of their host plants (Cédola et al. 2001;
Madadi et al. 2008; Soufbaf et al. 2012; Khanamani et al. 2015; Alipour et al.
2016; Bahari et al. 2018). The secondary metabolites in plant tissues can directly
influence the growth of herbivores and they can indirectly affect the performance of
3 Biological Control of Pests by Mites in Iran
99