Akinlosotu, T.A., 1982.
Seasonal trend of green spider mite, Mononychellus tanajoa population on cassava, Manihot esculenta, and its relationship with weather factors at moor plantation. Insect Science and Its Application, 3: 251-254.
Abstract
The population of Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) was monitored on cassava for 52 weeks (mid October 1979 to mid October 1982) at Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria. The population was found to be high in the dry season (80.1 plus or minus 57.7/leaf), low in the wet season (15.2 plus or minus 13.5). There was a linear relationship between the mite population and the weather factors investigated. The relationship was positive in the cases of temperature and radiation, and negative in those of rainfall and humidity. The high mite population in the dry season ws attributed to the high temperature (27.9 plus or minus 1.26 deg C) and radiation (39.1 plus or minus 7.86) conditions which favoured development of the different stages in the life-cycle of the mite. The low population in the wet season was attributed to the adverse effects of high rainfall (56.31 plus or minus 33.14 mm) and humidity (87.29 plus or minus 2.36%) on the mites. Seasonal fluctuations in mite population were attributed to the physiological condition of the food-plant
