How organic medicinal plants affect life table parameters of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)?

In this study, life table parameters of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) on four organic plants belonging to, Brassicaceae: Siberian (Russian) kale, Brassica napus L. var. pabularia L., Lacianto (Tuscan/Italian) kale, Brassica oleracea var. palmifolia, and Lamiaceae: Spearmint, Mentha spicata L. and Saudi Mint, Mentha longifolia L. were evaluated. The study also aimed to investigate plant nutritional content and morphological characters to explain how plant sources affect the life parameters of TSSM. Plants were cultivated in two organic locations: Giza Governorate (30° 09' 07.0" N, 30° 51' 00.2" E), and Fyoum Governorate (29° 34' 40.9" N, 30° 55' 38.3" E). Experiments were under laboratory conditions at 28 ± 2 °C and 75–80% RH. TSSM had the shortest life cycle, longevity, life span, the highest values of intrinsic rate of increase (rm), net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ), gross reproductive rate (GRR), shortest mean generation time (T) and doubling time (DT) on Siberian kale (Brassicaceae). Plant leaves were scanned by SEM to determine how plant texture could affect the TSSM's biology. Plant nutritional contents resulted in highly significant differences among the dry material of four tested plants for Nitrogen (N), Phosphor (P), Potassium (K), Sodium (Na) and Calcium (Ca). It is concluded that organic plant source, definitely affect life table parameters and behavior of TSSM. Plant-herbivore relation, were significant due to plant nutritional contents and morphological characters.