Tetranychus urticae : A mite pest of marigold plant

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) belongs to the family Asteraceae and is an important medicinal and ornamental plant grown throughout the world. Among the non insect pests, the two spotted red spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acarina: Tetranynchidae) is one of the most destructive pest of this crop, both in open as well as under protected conditions. In view of the importance of marigold and the impact of the damage caused by the two spotted spider mite on marigold, the present book was written with the objectives to study the biology and damage potential of T. urticae on marigold. Management of T. urticae with chemicals leads to resistance development. The book also throws light on alternative management strategies like screening of marigold germplasms to combat this mite pest.