Determination of Tetranychus species and their endosymbiont bacteria in cotton fields in Aydın province

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine spider mite species in cotton fields in Aydın province and to reveal the endosymbiont bacteria found in spider mites. Material and Methods: Spider mite samples were collected from cotton fields in Germencik, Koçarlı, Nazilli and Söke districts of Aydın province between June and August in 2020 and 2021. Spider mites were determined by both morphological and molecular techniques, and endosymbiont bacteria associated with spider mites were detected by molecular methods. Results: According to the qPCR test results performed to determine whether Tetranychus species is T. urticae, 112 of 196 samples gave positive results. All of the red ones were positive, and the green ones were all negative. Considering the geographical locations where the samples were collected, 21 samples were selected, and sequence studies were carried out. The red colored ones were determined as T. urticae and the green colored ones were determined as T. turkestani according to the COI and ITS2 sequence results. Male and female slides of the samples used in sequence studies were examined morphologically under the microscope and aedeagus shapes were taken under the microscope. Morphological identification results were found to be compatible with sequence test results. In endosymbiont detection studies in spider mites, Wolbachia was detected in 31 and Rickettsia in 16 of 70 populations selected according to their geographical distribution. Cardinium or Spiroplasma was not detected in any population. Conclusion: In this study, two spider mite species Tetranychus urticae and T. turkestani were identified in cotton fields in Aydın province. Wolbachia and Rickettsia were detected from related endosymbionts, while Cardinium or Spiroplasma were not detected.