Effect of light quality and light-dark cycle on sporulation patterns of the mite pathogenic fungus Neozygites floridana (Neozygitales: Entomophthoromycota), a natural enemy of Tetranychus urticae

• Microcosm experiment: Effect of light quality and light-dark cycle on N. floridana.
• Light 1: HPS 150 μmol m−2 s−1 for 12 h, HPS 50 μmol m−2 s−1 for 4 h, 8 h dark.
• Light 2: HPS 150 μmol m−2 s−1 for 12 h, RED 50 μmol m−2 s−1 for 4 h, 8 h dark.
• HPS light only: Primary conidia discharge peak reached within the dark hours.
• HPS + RED light: Primary conidia discharge peak within the RED light and dark hours.

A controlled climatic chamber microcosm experiment was conducted to examine how light affects the hourly sporulation pattern of the beneficial mite pathogenic fungus Neozygites floridana during a 24 h cyclus over a period of eight consecutive days. This was done by inoculating two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) with N. floridana and placing them on strawberry plants for death and sporulation. Spore (primary conidia) discharge was observed by using a spore trap. Two light regimes were tested: Plant growth light of 150 μmol m−2 s−1 for 12 h supplied by high pressure sodium lamps (HPS), followed by either; (i) 4 h of 50 μmol m−2 s−1 light with similar HPS lamps followed by 8 h darkness (full HPS light + reduced HPS light + darkness) or (ii) 4 h of 50 μmol m−2 s−1 red light followed by 8 h darkness (full HPS light + red light + darkness). A clear difference in hourly primary conidia discharge pattern between the two different light treatments was seen and a significant interaction effect between light treatment and hour in day during the 24 h cycle was observed. The primary conidia discharge peak for treatment (ii) that included red light was mainly reached within the red light hours (19:00–23:00) and the dark hours (23:00–07:00). The primary conidia discharge peak for treatment (i) with HPS light only was mainly reached within the dark hours (23:00–07:00).

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