Thrips are tiny, slender insects that are notorious for causing damage to a wide range of crops. They are easily recognized by their characteristic two pairs of fringed wings and pale yellow to light brown. They have an extensive host range and can complete their entire life cycle on crops like Tomato, pepper, lettuce, and fava beans.
They can also harbor and spread the Tomato spotted wilt virus, which can significantly impact crop production. Weed hosts such as cheeseweed, sowthistle, and prickly lettuce can serve as reservoirs of thrips populations and the spread of the virus. Effective management of thrips is crucial in preventing and controlling infestations and reducing the spread of the Tomato spotted wilt virus in crops.
Thrips management in Tomato
The life cycle of Thrips
The life cycle of thrips can be divided into the following stages:
- Egg: The female lays eggs on or inside the host plant using her ovipositor.
- Larva: The eggs hatch into wingless larvae that feed on the host plant.
- Pre-pupa: The nymph thrips stop feeding and molt into the pre-pupal stage.
- Pupa: The pre-pupa undergoes further molting and transforms into a pupa.
- Adult: The pupa emerges as an adult thrip, characterized by two pairs of fringed wings and a pale yellow to light brown color.
These stages can take a week to a few weeks, depending on the species of thrips and environmental conditions. Understanding the life cycle of thrips is important for developing effective management strategies that target pests at different stages of their development.
Identification of Thrips in Tomato field
- Silver lesions on the leaves that are irregular in shape and size eventually become beige and dotted with tiny black droppings from thrips.
- Chlorination and dulling of the color of affected leaves.
- Flower drop.
- Brown punctate lesions on young fruits surrounded by a large whitish ring or deformed fruits with linear corky lesions. These are the oviposition sites of F. occidentalis thrips.
Damage symptoms of Thrips in Tomato field
- Vectoring of Tomato spotted wilt virus.
- Distorted plant growth
- Deformed flowers
- White-to-silvery patches on emerging leaves
- Tiny black fecal specks on leaves.
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Thrips management in Tomato by the cultural method
- Grow plants that are well-adapted to local soil and weather conditions
- Keep plants well-watered and avoid excessive nitrogen application
- Use resistant rose cultivars
- Prune-infested and injured terminals and destroy them
- Use hot caps, row covers, or cages with fine mesh to protect young herbaceous plants
- Apply covers before crops emerge and leave them on while plants are young and vulnerable to damage
- Remove covers as temperatures warm and plants grow larger
- Use hoops, plastic tunnels, or wire frames covered with fine mesh for sensitive plants
- Provide light irrigation when using row covers.
Thrips management in Tomato by biological method
- Encourage natural predators and parasites in the field or greenhouse by planting a diverse range of plants and reducing the use of insecticides.
- Use augmentative biological control with the release of beneficial insects, such as predatory thrips or predatory mites.
- Implement integrated pest management practices, combining cultural, physical, and biological controls for a more sustainable solution to thrips management.
- Maintain proper plant health and growing conditions to reduce plant stress, making the plants less attractive to thrips.
- Keep the area surrounding the crops weed-free, as weeds can harbor thrips and other pests.
Thrips management in Tomatoes by the chemical method
Chemical control of thrips can be challenging due to their mobility, feeding behavior, and protected egg and pupal stages. Cultural control methods such as row covers, pruning, and growing plants well-adapted to the environment are more effective in preventing thrips damage.
However, if chemical control is necessary, insecticides such as neem oil, insecticidal soaps, pyrethrins combined with piperonyl butoxide, azadirachtin, and narrow-range oil can be used. Spinosad can also be effective but should be used with caution as it can be toxic to natural enemies and bees for at least 24 hours after application.
It is important to follow label instructions and to avoid using certain chemicals such as organophosphates (malathion), pyrethroids (bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, and fluvalinate) or carbamates (carbaryl), as they can be highly toxic to natural enemies and pollination, and can lead to outbreaks of spider mites and damage to plants.
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Thrips management in Tomatoes by Organic/ Natural method
- Blue sticky traps are highly effective in capturing thrips and monitoring their population. Ideally, you should install 5-10 blue sticky traps per acre of land.
- Another effective method is applying neem cake in the airfields or earthen pot mixture at 100 kg per acre or 10 gm per pot in two divided doses. The first dose should be applied at the planting time and the second 30 days after transplanting. This will help reduce the population of thrips and prevent crop damage.
- Use neem oil as an insecticide. To do this, mix 5 ml of neem oil in 1 liter of water and then spray it on the plants. The concentration of the neem oil should be 1500 ppm. This will help control the thrips effectively and prevent crop damage.
Preventive measures for control of Thrips
- Utilize sticky bands and sticky traps to monitor thrips populations and aid in early detection
- Employ the use of reflective mulches and aluminum foil to deter thrips from laying eggs on plants
- Implement proper sanitation practices by regularly cleaning up plant debris and removing weeds around the growing area
- Consider using resistant varieties of plants when available
- Apply insecticides when necessary, but always follow label instructions and consider the impact on beneficial insects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, thrips can be a difficult pest to control effectively due to their mobility and feeding behavior. However, combining cultural control methods like row covers, pruning, and growing well-adapted plants with chemical control methods like neem oil and sticky traps can minimize the damage caused by thrips. It is important to read any chemical product’s label carefully and avoid using toxic chemicals for natural enemies and pollinators. Overall, a comprehensive and integrated approach to thrips management is necessary to control this pest.
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