Spatial and temporal distribution of pest thrips in strawberry in Florida

Monday, November 14, 2022

9:12 AM – 9:24 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 116/117

Presenting Author(s)

Gagandeep Kaur

PhD Student
University of Florida
Wimauma, Florida

Co-Author(s)

Sriyanka Lahiri

Assistant Professor
University of Florida
Lithia, Florida

Chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a relatively new invasive pest in southeastern U.S.A. Along with the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), S. dorsalis causes economic losses in strawberry in Florida. Scirtothrips dorsalis feeds on young leaves and damages fruit when their numbers are high. Under current practices, thrips are managed primarily with insecticides. However, there is a need to investigate alternative sustainable thrips management strategies, which requires a better understanding of pest thrips ecology. Hence, the objective of this study is to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of thrips pests in a typical winter open-field strawberry production system. Four fields ( ~10-12 ha) in central Florida were sampled every week for S. dorsalis nymphs and adults during October 2019- February 2020 by sampling leaf trifoliates. Yellow sticky traps were placed in and around the fields to trap adult pest thrips species. Results indicate that the abundance of chilli thrips on leaves ranged from a minimum during December 2019 (0.07 ± 0.04 per 4 leaf trifoliates) when temperatures were relatively low (15 – 20 °C), to a maximum during the end of January 2020 (0.58 ± 0.25 per 4 leaf trifoliates) when temperatures were relatively high (24 – 26°C). Furthermore, spatial distribution of S. dorsalis, F. occidentalis, and natural enemies using ArcGIS statistical tools will be discussed using sticky trap data. These results will assist growers in making informed integrated pest management decisions for strawberry production.