Can Tetranychus Urticae Koch. be a wild cucumber Echinocystis Lobata (Michx.) pest?

Abstract

Wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata (Michx.), the representative of Cucurbitaceae family, is invasive species in Lithuania. Echinocystis lobata is an riparian species imported from America to Europe. In our country this species widespread in moisture and rich soil places, depressing local flora, isolating it from sunlight and redusing growth of plants. The prevalence of pests was evaluated of E. lobata. For this purpose populations of this species were investigated within 2015-2016 periods along different riverbanks and any pests was not found. In 2016 were collected cucumber leaves with two spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch.) adults and removed from them. In laboratory was removed Tetranychus urticae Koch. adults from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) leaves and placed 10 adults on the surface of E. lobata (from two different location) and bean leaves. The laboratory assay was set up in five replicates and leaves placed on moistened cotton pads in Petri dishes. T. urticae adults survive and lay eggs like on beans leaves, until leaves had defoliated. Any significant differences were not found between numbers of T. urticae on different plants leaves. The harmful organisms of E. lobata are not abundant, but in future T. urticae can be potential pest of wild cucumber.