Mites associated with stored seed cotton and related products in Greece

Samples were taken during a 2-year period (Sept. 1998 to Sept. 2000) from 17 ginning mills, located in the main cotton production regions in Greece. The material was examined in order to determine the presence and relative abundance of mites in stored seed cotton and its products: cotton fiber, cottonseed and cotton gin trash. Twenty-two mite taxa were found, with the predominance of mite species on each type of stored commodity differing significantly. Fifteen taxa were recorded in seed cotton, where the most abundant species were Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) and Tarsonemus waitei Banks. In contrast, only four species were found in cotton fiber, with T. putrescentiae being the dominant one. Nine taxa were recorded in the cottonseed samples, where the most abundant species was by far Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank). Caloglyphus sp. was the most abundant species in cotton gin trash, where a total of 13 taxa were found. Most mites were found in gin trash, followed by cottonseed and seed cotton; very few mites were detected in cotton fiber.