Is reflective mulch an effective cultural control technique for management of chilli thrips in strawberry?

Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is an invasive thrips species in the U.S.A. In Florida, S. dorsalis has developed into a significant economic pest of strawberry since 2015. Currently, growers in Florida use black plastic mulch in their fields which helps with root growth of transplants during winter. However, black plastic mulch can elevate heat stress in plants especially if the growers decide to prepone the planting date. On the contrary, reflective mulch has been found effective in suppressing thrips pests in various crops. Hence, the objective of the study was to understand the differences in chilli thrips infestation and fruit yield in three strawberry cultivars planted on white and metalized reflective mulches vs. black plastic mulch. The study was conducted in 2021- 2022 at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Centre, University of Florida. Tissue samples were collected biweekly and marketable fruit yield was collected weekly. Additionally, five random plants were visually rated to assess leaf damage index, biweekly. Results indicate that fruit yield was 3 times higher in reflective mulches compared to black plastic mulch. Chilli thrips infestation and leaf damage index was ~ 2 times higher in black plastic mulch compared to reflective mulches. However, among cultivars, there was no significant difference in fruit yield, chilli thrips number and damage index. The results of the current study will help growers reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides for thrips management.