Brevipalpus phoenicis Infestation on Ocimum gratissimum Linn

Mites and ticks (Acari) constitute the most diverse group of arachnids and they are noticeably less known than the other groups of arthropods. Even though mites are small microscopic organisms, the study of mites, the so called Acarology has gained much attention due to its importance in the various fields such as medical, agricultural, environment and health. More than 48, 200 species of mites have been described, but they make up only 5-10% of the estimated number of 0.5-1 million existing species. Mites of agricultural importance in general are represented by Tetranychids, Tenuipalpids and Eriophyids which feed voraciously by sucking the cell sap and inducing various abnormalities to their hosts. The genus Brevipalpus includes most of the economically important species of Tenuipalpidae. Ocimum is a one of the important plant genus which is used for the preparation of the ayurvedic medicines. This genus is a fascinating group of aromatic plants belonging to the family Labiatae, yielding various essential volatile oils and aromatic chemicals. Brevipalpus phoenicis, the dominant species of tenuipalpid mite found on the host plant Ocimum gratissimum.