Final Report Summary - DETANMITE (Detection and analysis inter- and intra-specific variability of common pest and predatory mites using new molecular and imaging tools)
Parasitic mites are major pests globally but, as such, they also represent a source of biological control agents. DetanMite, an EU-funded project, is developing state-of-the-art techniques to identify, characterize and classify this wide group of arthropods. Mites present both problems and benefits to ecosystems globally. They are major agricultural pests and controlling them with insecticides can also pose a threat to ecosystems everywhere. However, there are predatory mites that can be effectively used to control spider mite and several small arthropod pest populations in agriculture.
DetanMite scientists’ studies are focus on an integrated approach to identify the mites in question and aim to develop new, rapid diagnostic methods for tetranychid (plant parasites) and phytoseiid mites. The approach includes the use of molecular markers combined with morphological study using the scanning electron microscope and/or light microscope. The partners of DetanMite have high level scientific expertise about plant parasitic and predatory mites and good complementarily in competences and skills, such as classically (using morphological keys) and modern (using molecular markers). The mite specialist of the host organization (Dr. Ueckermann) was and has still well known for their mite expertise world-wide and already mentioned have a large mite and mite literature collection to their disposal. The partner organization French research team (Dr. Navajas and her colleagues) have potential of expertise in systematics, and their institute maintains reference collections and databases for acarology. The latest molecular tools are used to increase the efficiency and accuracy of taxonomic identification by the team. The Turkish research teams (S. Cobanoglu, N.A. Kumral and their students) from different university and location from Turkey have expertise about classical identification on tetranychids and phytoseiids. The team recognizes Turkish mite fauna very well. Thank to this capacity, the team was providing several mite specimens from all around Turkey for this project.
The researchers collected plant parasitic and predatory species from different ecological areas of Turkey and South Africa. Preparing about 1 100 slides of mites representing 29 taxa of agricultural importance, science to new species of the families Stigmaeidae and Tetranychidae was collected from Solanaceous plants. The specimens representing the following important mite families were identified from the plant families Solanaceae, Rosaceae and Oleaceae: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tydeoidea, Tarsonemidae, Stigmaeidae and Eriophyoidea.
Dissemination of knowledge was achieved through four workshops presented to early stage young researchers primarily. The mite specialists who presented these workshops prepared four manuals on the plant feeding mite families, Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae and Tarsonemidae and predatory mite families Phytoseiidae and Tydeidae. An electron microscopy workshop in Turkey as well as two workshops in South Africa was held to point out the diagnostic characters of the species of the families Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae, Eriophyidae to early stage researchers young researchers. All this was made possible by the expertise of the partners of this project. The SEM specialist (L. Tiedt) who presented these workshops prepared and presented a SEM applying manuals to all workshop participants. The knowledge generated during this project has been of enormous benefit to more than 50 young researchers and students – one of the most important advantages to the project. The main aim of the project is professional European scientist capacity building through exchanging young scientist about new, classical and rapid diagnostic methods for both pest and predator mites based on molecular markers (DNA) as well as comprehensive morphological review using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Turkish teams gained so many information and practical expertise about the identification of Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae mites making use of molecular methods (DNA and isozymes) thanks to DetanMite project secondements. The skills were transferred to young Turkish researchers and the ones who work in this field of interest by performed two workshops in Turkey. The specialists (N. Navajas, M. Tixier and N. A. Kumral) who presented these workshops and training activities prepared and presented three manuals on the discrimination of tetranychids and phytoseiids by both DNA and isozymes. Also, the experience and early stage researchers of South African were gained knowledge about molecular methods and applied on a M.Sc. thesis in a short time. This also resulted in future collaborations between the partners of the three countries (Turkey, France and South Africa). Originally, South African researchers were unknown to Turkish researchers but after this formed a strong collaboration. Culturally, the partners also benefited from this, DetanMite has brought together a very strong team in the field of plant parasitic mites. Already part-way into the project, the results promise to deliver solutions to related agricultural and environmental problems by supporting biological control in agriculture worldwide. Finally, the results of works will be presented two oral and poster presentations at the V. Turkish Plant Protection Congress in February 2014. 190 entomologists&acarologists who are interseted in with this subject were attended. Thus, the results of DetanMite project were presented effectively to large number of persons by web page of the project, congress presentations, workshops activities. For the transfer of knowledge, four workshops have been performed and seven manuals releated these workshop subjects have been prepared and given to participants. The lastly, five papers were prepared and submitted to different journals, also papers more than 2 has been prepared by partners of DetanMite (Annex 1).
DetanMite scientists’ studies are focus on an integrated approach to identify the mites in question and aim to develop new, rapid diagnostic methods for tetranychid (plant parasites) and phytoseiid mites. The approach includes the use of molecular markers combined with morphological study using the scanning electron microscope and/or light microscope. The partners of DetanMite have high level scientific expertise about plant parasitic and predatory mites and good complementarily in competences and skills, such as classically (using morphological keys) and modern (using molecular markers). The mite specialist of the host organization (Dr. Ueckermann) was and has still well known for their mite expertise world-wide and already mentioned have a large mite and mite literature collection to their disposal. The partner organization French research team (Dr. Navajas and her colleagues) have potential of expertise in systematics, and their institute maintains reference collections and databases for acarology. The latest molecular tools are used to increase the efficiency and accuracy of taxonomic identification by the team. The Turkish research teams (S. Cobanoglu, N.A. Kumral and their students) from different university and location from Turkey have expertise about classical identification on tetranychids and phytoseiids. The team recognizes Turkish mite fauna very well. Thank to this capacity, the team was providing several mite specimens from all around Turkey for this project.
The researchers collected plant parasitic and predatory species from different ecological areas of Turkey and South Africa. Preparing about 1 100 slides of mites representing 29 taxa of agricultural importance, science to new species of the families Stigmaeidae and Tetranychidae was collected from Solanaceous plants. The specimens representing the following important mite families were identified from the plant families Solanaceae, Rosaceae and Oleaceae: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tydeoidea, Tarsonemidae, Stigmaeidae and Eriophyoidea.
Dissemination of knowledge was achieved through four workshops presented to early stage young researchers primarily. The mite specialists who presented these workshops prepared four manuals on the plant feeding mite families, Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae and Tarsonemidae and predatory mite families Phytoseiidae and Tydeidae. An electron microscopy workshop in Turkey as well as two workshops in South Africa was held to point out the diagnostic characters of the species of the families Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae, Eriophyidae to early stage researchers young researchers. All this was made possible by the expertise of the partners of this project. The SEM specialist (L. Tiedt) who presented these workshops prepared and presented a SEM applying manuals to all workshop participants. The knowledge generated during this project has been of enormous benefit to more than 50 young researchers and students – one of the most important advantages to the project. The main aim of the project is professional European scientist capacity building through exchanging young scientist about new, classical and rapid diagnostic methods for both pest and predator mites based on molecular markers (DNA) as well as comprehensive morphological review using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Turkish teams gained so many information and practical expertise about the identification of Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae mites making use of molecular methods (DNA and isozymes) thanks to DetanMite project secondements. The skills were transferred to young Turkish researchers and the ones who work in this field of interest by performed two workshops in Turkey. The specialists (N. Navajas, M. Tixier and N. A. Kumral) who presented these workshops and training activities prepared and presented three manuals on the discrimination of tetranychids and phytoseiids by both DNA and isozymes. Also, the experience and early stage researchers of South African were gained knowledge about molecular methods and applied on a M.Sc. thesis in a short time. This also resulted in future collaborations between the partners of the three countries (Turkey, France and South Africa). Originally, South African researchers were unknown to Turkish researchers but after this formed a strong collaboration. Culturally, the partners also benefited from this, DetanMite has brought together a very strong team in the field of plant parasitic mites. Already part-way into the project, the results promise to deliver solutions to related agricultural and environmental problems by supporting biological control in agriculture worldwide. Finally, the results of works will be presented two oral and poster presentations at the V. Turkish Plant Protection Congress in February 2014. 190 entomologists&acarologists who are interseted in with this subject were attended. Thus, the results of DetanMite project were presented effectively to large number of persons by web page of the project, congress presentations, workshops activities. For the transfer of knowledge, four workshops have been performed and seven manuals releated these workshop subjects have been prepared and given to participants. The lastly, five papers were prepared and submitted to different journals, also papers more than 2 has been prepared by partners of DetanMite (Annex 1).