ANATOMICAL ELUCIDATION OF DAMAGE INDUCED BY Tetranychus neocaledonicus ANDRE (ACARI: TETRANYCHIDAE) ON CASSAVA LEAVES

Ultra-structural elucidation of feeding injury inflicted by the vegetable mite, Tetranychus neocaledonicus Andre on the leaves of cassava was done following TEM technique to elucidate anatomical damage and for a detailed investigation into the fine structural changes to Manihot esculenta Crantz leaves following spider mite feeding. The gravity of injury caused to the host leaves was found to increase proportionately with the progressive feeding of the vegetable mites. Leaves with high infestation had marked reduction in thickness following disruption of epidermis and reduction of palisade and spongy mesophyll tissues. Further, there was decline in numerical abundance of cells and organelles like chloroplasts, coagulated protoplasts, structural aberrations at the cellular level, increased space in the mesophyll layers, extensive disruption of the palisade coupled with damage to adjacent cells that were not directly attacked by the mites.