Preliminary evaluation of Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresen.) de Vries in laboratory conditions, as a potential candidate for biocontrol of Tetranychus urticae Koch

A survey for natural entomopathogenic fungi of two spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) adults was made in Erzurum, Turkey, during the period 2006. Tetranychus urticae (65.8%) infected with a strain of the fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides were found. Thirteen isolates of C. cladosporioides were assessed against T. urticae, in a single dose (8 x 10(6) conidia ml (-1)), laboratory bioassay on bean leaflets. The total mortality percentage caused by C. cladosporioides isolates varied from 50.95 to 74.76% and LT(50) values ranged from 2.34 to 3.90 days. The results revealed that isolates of C. cladosporioides were effective against two spotted spider mite. This is the first record of natural infection of T. urticae by C. cladosporioides.