Page 12 - Volume 6, Issue 1, January 2013

Kapaxidi

10

li and Oldfield, 1996). Although

O. maxwelli

is frequently present in Greek olive groves,

Hatzinikolis and Kolovos (1985) reported

that it was found in small populations and

that is not a pest of economic importance

for Greece.

Oxycenus niloticus Zaher and Abou-Awad

Damage: The mite infests leaves preferring

the upper surface around mid-vein (Zaher

and Abou-Awad, 1979). It forms characteris-

tic concave patches on the underside of leaf

and may cause deformation to the succulent

terminal leaves. Its distribution in Greece is

limited (Hatzinikolis and Kolovos, 1985).

Shevtchenkella oleae (Natcheff) [Tego-

notus oleae Natcheff, Lovonotus oleae

(Natcheff)]

Damage: It attacks leaves, stems, buds and

inflorescences. It has been found in small

populations, and it is considered of no eco-

nomic importance in Greece.

Tegolophus hassani (Keifer) [Tegonotus

hassani Keifer]

Common name: olive rust mite

Damage: It lives on both surfaces of olive

leaves and apparently causes russeting and

some form of leaf deformation or defolia-

tion.

It reaches high population levels in many

regions of the country where it is found in

association with the other eriophyid species

(Hatzinikolis and Kolovos, 1985) and may

cause loss of production (Hatzinikolis, 1972).

Eriophyids of fig tree

Aceria ficus (Cotte) [Eriophyes ficus Cotte]

Syn:

Eriophyes fici

Ewing

Common name: fig bud mite

Damage: This mite not only injures fig buds,

but it also transmits fig mosaic virus, a dis-

ease that is present in Greece (Martelli

et al.

,

1993). Feeding by mites that carry no virus

produces variable symptoms such as rus-

seting or surface browning, bud blasting,

impedance of new growth, bad distortion,

leaf chlorosis, and in severe cases the result

can be defoliation of branches or of whole

trees. These mites make no galls (Keifer

et

al

., 1982).

Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae Keifer

Common name: fig leaf mite

Damage: It lives as a vagrant among the un-

der surface leaf hairs, causing no apparent

symptoms.

Eriophyoids of pomegranate

Aceria granati (Canestrini and Massalon-

go) [Phytoptus granati Canestrini and

Massalongo, Eriophyes granati (Canestri-

ni and Massalongo)]

Common name: pomegranate leaf curl mite

Damage: Pomegranate leaf curl mite occurs

throughout Mediterranean region. The mite

tightly rolls the leaves from the sides down

onto the undersurface; these leaves maybe

so tightly rolled as to produce a nearly leaf-

less appearance to the twig but the twigs

continue to elongate, indicating the twig

terminal is not damaged.

Pomegranate culture has become pop-

ular during the last decade in Greece.

Aceria

granati

was reported to infest the orchards

of northern Greece (Drama) (Koveos

et al.

,

2010), however its status as a pest is not yet

determined, as the extent of the infested or-

chards and damages has not been studied.

Eriophyoids of grapevine

Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa) [Phytoptes

vitis Nalepa, Epitrimerus vitis (Nalepa)]

Common name: grapevine rust mite

Damage: Heavy infestations of this species

prevent vines from growing normally during

the earlier parts of the season. Internodes

are shortened, foliage becomes bunched,

which interferes with proper pruning; grape

production is reduced. Damage to grape

clusters occurs either because flowers are

injured or because development is delayed.

The foliage has a browning and russeting as-

pect. The leaves present malformation fol-

lowed by a premature dropping. As a result

of the shortened internodes and the devel-