Thrips Management in Flowers

Thrips are tiny slender insects with fringed wings. They feed by puncturing their host plant thus feeding on cell sap. Thrips belong to order Thysanoptera. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) is the most commonly marked species in green house rose plants and summer flowers

Thrips Management in Flowers.

Introduction:

Thrips are tiny slender insects with fringed wings. They feed by puncturing their host plant thus feeding on cell sap.

Thrips belong to order Thysanoptera. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) is the most commonly marked species in green house rose plants and summer flowers.

Common nameScientific nameCommon host plantPrimary damageAdult appearanceLarva appearance
Western flower thripFrankliniella occidentalisHerbaceous ornamentals including rose plants.Stippled and scarred petals, leaves and other plant parts.Thick bristlelike hairs at the tip of the abdomen.

Brownish to black body with abdomen extending beyond wing tips at rest.

Yellow to orange body.

LIFE CYCLE AND DAMAGE:

Thrip life cycle include egg, two actively feeding laval and nympal stages, non-feeding prepupal and pupal stages and adult.

Females insert tiny eggs into flower buds. Eggs hatch into larva which start feeding thus causing damage to the bud. Larva eventually develops into pupa which drops into the soil or leaf litter (dry leaves). Pupa develops into adult stage which goes back to the plant for feeding and egg laying.

Egg→1st Instar  →2nd Instar→Propupa→Pupa→Adult→

Under optimal conditions, full cycle usually lasts two weeks.

Affected flower buds may become deformed and fail to open. Petals are covered by brown steaks and black spots. Tiny scars especially on young leaves are exhibited, with most of the affected leaves rolling back. Heavy infestation can cause stunted growth.

CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE:

  • Thrips are favored by hot, dusty, windy and dry weather conditions.
  • Poor sanity – sanitation in terms of dry fallen leaves, weeds, open flowers and failure to knock out infested flower buds. Some plants act as alternate host.
  • Poor sanity around green house – in terms of weeds and flowering shrubs / trees which act as secondary host plant.

MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL

Monitoring:

Monitoring is very crucial to ensure detection of any entry of adults from outside. This is achieved by hanging sticky traps and well guided scouting system. Any detection of single adult calls for prompt intervention of chemical spray before egg laying

Cultural practices:

This entails;

  • Removal of fallen plant debris / leaves where pupation takes place.
  • Knocking of any open flower buds which might attract adults from outside or from the ground.
  • Weeds removal, which act as alternate hosts.
  • Incase of mild infestation, knocking of infested buds to eradicate eggs, laval and adult stages.

NB: In order to avoid cross contamination, removal of affected plant buds and plant parts should carefully be placed into bags and disposed in designated points.

  • Procedural knocking of the buds in the morning and stem cut in the evening should be emphasized.
  • Showering to lower temperatures.

Chemical control:

Chemical control must be applied during first sign of damage or during favorable weather conditions. In this case careful selection and mixing of chemical is a prerequisite. Controlled showering before chemical application is ideal to enhance effectiveness of the same just like for any other contact insecticide.

In case of high infestation, chemical application on soil / tuff is advised to kill pupal stage. However, the media must be well moistened to allow the chemical sieve through.

GREENLIFE PROGRAMME:

Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5
AMAZING TOP 100 WDG

(Acetamiprid + Abamectin)

SINOPHATE 750 SP

(Acephate)

EMERALD 200 SL

(Imidacloprid)

TAURUS 500 SP

(Thiocyclam hydrogen oxalate)

LEXUS 247 SC

(Lambda cyhalothrin + Thiamethoxam)

PRESENTO 200 SP

(Acetamiprid)

KINGCODE ELITE 50 EC

(Acetamiprid + Lambda cyhalothrin)

TOMARADO 500 SC (Buprofezin)EPITOME ELITE 500 SP

(Thiocyclam hydrogen oxalate + Imidacloprid)

OCCASION STAR 200 SC

(Emamectin  benzoate + Indoxacarb)

ALONZE 50 EC

(Abamectin)

PENTAGON 50 EC

(Lambda cyhalothrin)

EMERALD 200 SL  (Imidacloprid)PROFILE 440 EC (Profenofos + Cypermethrin)DEFENDER 25 EC (Bifenthrin)
 LEXUS 247 SC

(Thiamethoxam + Lambda cyhalothrin)

CONSTINTINE 110 SC (Cyromazine + Abamectin)
Tank mix with JAMBOCLEAN on all cases and Integra

Target Sites Summary

Active ingredientTarget site
CyromazineMolting disruptor
AbamectinChloride channel activators
ThiamethoxamNicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists
Lambda cyhalothrinSodium channel modulators
BifenthrinSodium channel modulators
ImidaclopridNicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists
Thiocyclam hydrogen oxalateNicotinic acetylcholine receptor blockers
AcetamipridNicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists
Emamectin BenzoateChloride channel activators
LufenuronInhibitors of chitin biosynthesis, type o
AcephateAcetylcholinesterase inhibitor
ProfenofosAcetylcholinesterase inhibitor
CypermethrinSodium channel modulators
MethomylAcetylcholinesterase inhibitor

 

Last updated on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 1:03 am

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