A Review of the Economic Impact and Sustainable Strategies for Mitigation of the Cassava Mite Complex¹

The roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) are an excellent source of dietary starch for millions of people and also serve as raw material for several industrial products. Cassava root production, however, is limited by insect, mite and disease pests. Tetranychid mites (Acari; Tetranychidae), until recently considered a minor pest of cassava, have assumed major pest status contributing up to 50 to 80% reduction in root yields, causing severe economic losses. Globally, numerous species of tetranychids have been reported causing damage to cassava. These include Tetranychus urticae Koch (syn = T. cinnabarinus [Poisd.]), T. truncatus Ehara, T. neocaledonicus André, T. kanzawai Kishida, Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) (syn = M. progresivus Doreste), M. caribbeanae McGregor, Oligonychus biharensis (Hirst), O. gossypii (Zacher), and Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein). Various studies have been undertaken and reported to explore methods (e.g., cultural methods, biological control, botanicals, host plant resistance, conventional chemical insecticides) to mitigate mite damage to cassava and manage their populations. This present work is a review of the pertinent scientific literature on the cassava mite complex, its economic impact, and potential management strategies for the pests.