What is Thrips?
Thrips are minute, slender insects with fringed wings. From farmer’s point of view, a large number of thrips species are considered pests, because they feed on plants with commercial value. Some species of thrips feed on other insects or mites and are considered beneficial, while some feed on fungal spores or pollen.
List of Harmful Thrips:
Grapes Thrips, Tomato Thrips, Carnation thrips, Palm thrips, Flower Thrips, Western flower thrips, Chilli Thrips, Banana flower thrips, Rose Thrips, Thrips pillichi, ,Onion thrips, Green House Thrips, Soybean Thrips, Thrips Major, etc
What does it look like?
More than 5,000 species of thrips have been identified. Thrips vary in size, though most measure between 0.5 to 5 mm in length. Females are about 1/16 long. Males are similar to females but smaller and always light yellow.
In general, the life cycle (egg to adult) takes two to three weeks to complete; they can live up to 45 days and lay (oviposition) between 150 and 300 eggs during a lifetime.
What can it be confused with?
Due to their small size, thrips species cannot be distinguished with the naked eye. In particular, various species cannot be easily distinguished from each other Viz. WFT, plague, tomato, grape or onion thrips.
What should I look for?
Detection of thrips usually occurs through trapping the insects or detecting plant symptoms, rather than direct observation of the insects. All though special purpose cameras are available for direct observations of the thrips.
Infested crops can be damaged directly through feeding, which leads to leaf discoloration, deformed new growth and buds, and spotted foliage. However, the transmission of TSWV causes the greatest impact on vegetable crops. TSWV produces distinct symptoms in some hosts, such as ring spots, patterns, distortion of fruit and some leaf spots.
Look for TSWV symptom and thrips hotspots Check population levels on blue sticky traps and make routine examinations of leaves, flowers and fruit.
How does it spread?
Adults are capable of flight and their distribution can be assisted by the wind or can be spread through movement of infested fruit.
Where is it now?
Various species are native to different geographies but now they have spread to most the continents and include Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.
How can I protect my orchard from Thrips?
Ensuring plant material is clean and appropriately disposing of crop debris will reduce the risk of WFT and TSWV impacting on your farm. Where possible, source planting material raised in a WFT and TSWV free area.
Maintaining high levels of farm hygiene, controlling weeds and using mesh and double door entries to greenhouses minimizes the threats posed by these pests.
Monitor all crops routinely for the presence of pests and use blue sticky traps where possible.
Physical Control Measure Without Using Highly Toxic Chemical Pesticides.