author(s)
Mohankumar KS, Sugeetha G, Pankaja NS, Mahadev J and Vijayalaxmi

abstract
A study was conducted to know the incidence of phytophagous mite pests on different varieties of sugarcane crop viz., Co 86032, Co 62175, CoVC 99463, Co 419, Co 8371, CoM 0265, Co 92005, Co 7804 and VCF 0517, at ZARS, V. C. Farm, Mandya. Sugarcane crop was known to be attacked by three important phytophagous mites during its life cycle. These include, a red spider mite Oligonychus indicus (Family: Tetranychidae), sugarcane rust mite Abacarus sacchari and sugarcane blister mite Aceria sacchari (Family: Eriophyidae). The incidence and abundance of Oligonychus indicus was observed from 30 days after planting and continued up to 120 days in all the varieties. Co 419 was found to be highly susceptible and Co 0323 harbored lowest population of Oligonychus indicus. The incidence of sugarcane rust mite, Abacarus sacchari was initiated from 90 days i.e third month after planting and remained till 250 days after planting. The high incidence was recorded in VCF 0517 and lowest in Co 0323. Likewise, the incidence of sugarcane blister mite, Aceria sacchari was observed from 90 days after planting upto harvest of the crop. The varieties, Co 419, Co 62175 and Co 8371 had more blister counts and the varieties, Co 0323 and Co 92005 had less number of blister counts. During the study period, these phytophagous mites were known to be suppressed by the different natural enemies which include phytoseiid mites (Amblyseius spp., Neoseiulus longispinosus and Euseius spp.), predatory coccinellids (Stethorus spp.) and predatory thrips (Scolothrips rhagebianus)