Life cycle of Oligonychus coffeae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on tea leaves in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

TLDR: The life cycle of the tea red spider mite, Oligonychus coffeae, Nienter was studied on tea leaves in Darjeeling under laboratory conditions at 20°C and 65% relative humidity and will hopefully help to devise a management strategy for this pest species.

Abstract: The tea plant, Camellia sinensis (L.), has been cultivated since ancient time and is host to several pest species that can significant reduce productivity. One such pest species is the tea red spider mite. The life cycle of this species, Oligonychus coffeae, Nienter was studied on tea leaves in Darjeeling under laboratory conditions at 20°C and 65% relative humidity. Observations were recorded on freshly laid eggs on tea leaves and continued until individuals reached adulthood. The eggs required an average of 16.17 days to develop into adults. The average longevity of adult was 28.67 days. Our findings contribute to the understanding of mite abundance and population fluctuations in different seasons and climates, and will hopefully help to devise a management strategy for this pest species.