RESPONSE OF MONONYCHELLUS-TANAJOA (ACARI, TETRANYCHIDAE) TO CROPPING SYSTEMS, CULTIVARS, AND PEST INTERVENTIONS

The effects of cropping systems (cassava monocropped and intercropped with maize), pest interventions (spray of acaricide and release of an exotic phytoseiid) and cultivars ('Agric' and 'TMS 30572') on the popu lation dynamics of the green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar), wer e evaluated in 2 locations (Dogbo and International Institute of Tropi cal Agriculture) in Benin Republic, West Africa. Maize and cassava wer e intercropped al the beginning of the wet season. Pest interventions were applied during the dry season with Amblyseius manihoti Moraes (=l imoninss s.l.) (Garman & McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) released at t he beginning of the dry season at both sites and the acaricide dimethi oate sprayed bimonthly at Dogbo and once in December at the Internatio nal Institute of Tropical Agriculture. Intercropping cassava with maiz e had no significant effect on M. tanajoa and associated phytoseiid pr edator populations during tile intercropping, dry, and postdry seasons . The acaricide spray reduced ill. tanajoa densities 50% below those o f the predator and the control (no predator and no spray) treatments. A. manihoti reduced ill. tanajoa densities 20% below the control treat ment by the end of the experiment. Agric supported 2-3 times more mite s per leaf than did TMS 30572. A pest management strategy that combine s resistant cultivars and an efficient exotic predator is suggested to control M. tanajoa.