A primary evaluation on Eriophyid mites as biological control agents of some invasive weed species in Northeast of Iran

Weed biocontrol by using Eriophid mites could be a safe and efficient strategy. In order to find an ecological non-chemical approach for controlling of weeds, and studying the possibility of using Eriophyid mites, field surveys were conducted in Razavi Khorasan and North Khorasan Provinces during spring 2010. Collecting of mites was carried out at all of the vegetative and reproductive stages of these target weeds. Twenty plants of each species were selected and transferred to laboratory after each sampling. The results showed that gall mite (Aceria drabae Nalepa 1890) (Acarina: Eriophyidae) is a suitable biocontrol agent for controlling hoary cress. It decreased shoot growth and seed number. Gall mite (Aceria chondrillae (G. Can.)) (Acarina: Eriophyidae) was able to prevent seed set and reproductive buds of rush skeletonweed, it could be considered as a potential promising biocontrol agent. Since, Eriophyid mites were able to reduce vegetative and reproductive characteristics of studied weed species, these could be considered as a potential promising biological control agents for using in ecological agriculture.