https://doi.org/10.37229/fsa.fja.2026.05.01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various conventional pesticides in controlling the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae Koch compared to a bio-pesticide on eggplant plants during the two consecutive growing seasons of 2024 and 2025 in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. The compounds used were Gold 1.8% EC (Abamectin 1.8% EC), Gate Fast 12% SC (Thiamethoxam 10% + Abamectin 2%), Azomad 23.8% SC (Imidacloprid 30% + Abamectin 2.8%), and Insect Free (Beauveria bassiana). The impact of these pesticides on predatory mites was also observed. The treatments were evaluated at different day's intervals, and each treatment comprising four replicates. The results showed that Gold had the highest immediate reduction effect (92% and 86%), followed by Gate Fast, Azomad, and Insect Free during the two application seasons, respectively. Gold also recorded the highest overall mean reduction percentage, 80.1%, followed by Gate Fast at 64%, Insect Free at 57.8%, and Azomad at 49.7% in the first season, while these percentages were 78.9%, 61.5%, 58.6%, and 40.4% for Gold, Insect Free, Gate Fast, and Azomad in the second one, respectively. The results also indicated that conventional compounds were more effective during the first spraying season than during the second one, while the bio-pesticide was more effective in the second spraying season than in the first one. Furthermore, the highest average populations of predatory mites (0.47 and 0.66) were observed with the Insect Free treatment, while the lowest average populations (39.0 and 37.0) were recorded with the Gold treatment during the first and second applications, respectively. These findings suggest that the bio-pesticide could effectively control phytophagous mites while remaining safe for beneficial mites, thus confirming its potential as an alternative to conventional chemical pesticides.