The negative cross-talk between induced plant defences against pathogens and arthropod herbivores is exploited by vectors of plant pathogens: a plant challenged by pathogens reduces investment in defences that would otherwise be elicited by herbivores. This negative cross-talk may also be exploited by non-vector herbivores which elicit similar antiherbivore defences in the plant. We studied how...

The biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against soil-dwelling life stages of the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was evaluated under laboratory and semi-field conditions. The pathogenicity of native isolate of Steinernema feltiae (T1) and three commercial strains, S. feltiae, S. carpocapsae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) and Heterorhabditis b...

Both orchard and adjacent native vegetation harboured adult western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), from early spring until fall. Frankliniella occidentalis made up the great majority of adults collected in flowers of most plant species sampled, including apple. Other species found on apple flowers included Anaphothrips obscurus Müller, which live...

Frankliniella spp. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) thrips damage a variety of crops, feed on a broad range of hosts, and often migrate into cropping systems from adjacent vegetation. To determine potential sources of Frankliniella spp. thrips on crops, annual cycles of abundance of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan), and Frankliniella ...

Management of onion thrips continues to be a high pest priority for Wisconsin onion growers. In 2006 the hot and dry conditions experienced in mid-summer led to increased populations that were very difficult to control in some areas. Furthermore, many of the earlier registered products for control of onion thrips are loosing control efficacy. Onion thrips insensitivity to λ -cyhalothrin (Warrio...

Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus (TSWV) is a major economic threat to tobacco production in Georgia. Several thrips species are reported as vectors of TSWV, and three of these species are observed on Georgia tobacco, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), F. occidentalis (Pergande), and F. bispinosa (Morgan). This study evaluated several thrips control practices for efficacy and suppressing the incidence o...

Effects of a juvenile hormone analog, pyriproxyfen, on various developmental stadia of the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, were determined on cabbage leaves in the laboratory. Pyriproxyfen was applied at 0.064 or 0.128 g AI liter(-1) on leaves (residual contact-ingestion), thrips (direct contact) and leaf-thrips (residue contact-ingestion-direct contact). Pyriproxyfen did not have any sig...

The main purpose of this study was to reveal if the UV-A, and visible light reflection of leaves of white cabbage varieties is correlated to resistance against onion thrips. The antixenotic resistance (AR) against onion thrips and thrips damage differed between varieties Balashi, Bloktor, Riana - considered resistant - and Green Gem, Hurricane, Quisor - considered susceptible. The solar UV-A (3...

Although thrips are globally important crop pests and vectors of viral disease, species identifications are difficult because of their small size and inconspicuous morphological differences. Sequence variation in the mitochondrial COI-5' (DNA barcode) region has proven effective for the identification of species in many groups of insect pests. We analyzed barcode sequence variation among 471 th...

Th e interactions between parasites and their hosts can cause profound changes in host behavior, including changes that can alter other trophic interactions. Th e western fl ower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis is an important omnivorous insect vector of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which infects crops worldwide and also infects its thrips vector. Here, we show that tospovirus-infected f...