CONTROL OF CYCLAMEN AND BROAD MITES ON GERBERA 



laboratory experiments, these mites do not feed on healthy plant tissue 

 and cause no primary plant injury. Instead they apparently feed on 

 the fungi or other organisms associated with the decay of the plant 

 tissue, or on the products of decay. From the standpoint of the 

 grower, therefore, these saprozoic species may be ignored. 



INJURY BY THE MITES 



Because the mites attacking gerberas are so small, their presence is 

 usually recognized by the plant injury rather than by finding the mites 

 themselves. Both the broad mite and the cyclamen mite injure 

 gerberas by feeding on the young foliage and flower parts. The 



Figure 1. — Injury on gerbera foliage by the broad mite: A and B, Leaves fed 

 upon on the upper surface while very young, resulting in upward curling; G, 

 leaf injured on lower surface when more mature, which caused downward 

 cupping ; D, normal leaf. 



injured areas on the lower leaf surface become bronzed, and injured 

 flowers have part or all of the rays distorted and decolorized. 



Although the broad mite occurs less frequently on the gerbera than 

 on other plants, this species, when once established, causes very severe 

 injury to both leaves and flowers. Because this mite reproduces very 

 rapidly and builds up to large numbers within a short time, especially 

 at high temperatures, all young leaves and flowers appear to be sud- 

 denly and severely injured. On the partly expanded foliage the mites 

 feed over the entire lower leaf surface which takes on a uniformly 

 dirty-bronze color with glazed appearance. Such leaves are readily 

 recognized from above by the dull greasy green color and the slight 

 crinkling and cupping downward (fig. 1, C). On very young leaves 

 the broad mite is unable to penetrate the dense pubescence and feed 



