Biological control mitigates oxidative stress induced by Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in cucumber plants

Abstract

Intensive cucumber cultivation favors the occurrence of pests, particularly Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae), which causes damage to leaf tissues, impairing photosynthesis and cellular integrity. Management of this pest is commonly based on chemical control; however, this strategy may intensify oxidative stress in plants. In this context, biological control emerges as a sustainable alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chemical and biological control on oxidative stress in cucumber plants infested by T. urticae, assessing the action of the pesticide abamectin (Vertimec®) and the predator Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on the modulation of oxidative responses and the maintenance of redox homeostasis. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions with five experimental groups: untreated control plants, plants infested with T. urticae, infested plants subjected to biological control with N. californicus, infested plants treated with abamectin, and non-infested plants treated with abamectin. Photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress indicators, and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Biological control effectively suppressed mite populations while mitigating oxidative damage, whereas chemical control intensified oxidative response, with higher accumulation of reactive oxygen species and increased antioxidant enzyme activity, evidencing an additional metabolic cost to the plants. In contrast, biological control mitigated oxidative damage, maintaining lipid peroxidation levels and enzymatic activity similar to those observed in the control treatment. The use of N. californicus proved to be an efficient and environmentally sustainable strategy for managing T. urticae in cucumber cultivation.