author(s)
Rajashekharappa K, B Mallik, Jayalaxmi Narayan Hegde and Onkarappa S

abstract
The spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch damages rose plants grown in polyhouses. This pest is being managed by spraying several chemicals; however in such plots the plants continue to appear unhealthy. In plots where spider mite is managed by releasing the predatory mite, Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) the plants look healthier. The apparent difference in quality of the leaves in plots where the predators were released at different predator to prey ratios was monitored by estimating the leaf chlorophyll content. The results revealed that the chlorophyll content of rose leaves was higher in the plots where predators were released compared to pesticides sprayed plots of both bottom and middle canopy leaves.