Advances in Control of Onion Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Cabbage

Abstract

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), feeding injury results in discoloration and a rough texture on cabbage, Brassica oleracea capitata (L.), leaves, and damage may occur deep inside the head. It has become a key pest of cabbage in the United States and many other countries. Previous studies have indicated poor control using insecticides. The present study identiÞed imidacloprid drenches and sprays of acetamiprid, dimethoate, spinosad, and imidacloprid as insecticides that performed better than the industry standard, lambda-cyhalothrin. However, additional tests with foliar sprays of dimethoate and acetamiprid indicated there was not an ideal crop stage (precupping, cupping, or postcupping) at which either insecticide could be applied for reliable control of T. tabaci, possibly because of multiple ßights of thrips into the crop or the asynchrony of ßights and susceptible crop stages. In tests in a commercial Þeld, a soil drench of imidacloprid 4 wk after transplanting reduced the number of damaged leaves in the head by 32%, whereas Þve sprays of acetamiprid reduced damage by 51%. Combining both insecticide regimes reduced damage by 85%, but resulted in a very costly management program. Cabbage varieties varied considerably in susceptibility with some having negligible thrips injury, regardless of being treated with an insecticide. Planting date affected susceptibility of cabbage to some degree, but not as much as other tactics. Overall, these studies indicate that increased emphasis should be placed on breeding cabbages to be resistant to T. tabaci as the foundation for its management.

A simple molecular identification method of theThrips tabaci(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) cryptic species complex

“…The onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman, 1889) has already been known as a cosmopolitan, polyphagous insect of economic importance due to causing significant damage on cultivated crops globally, mainly on alliaceous crops, cabbage and tobacco (Jenser and Szénási, 2004;Trdan et al, 2006Trdan et al, , 2007Shelton et al, 2008;Diaz-Montano et al, 2011). The onion thrips was known as a single cosmopolitan species before Zawirska (1976) recognized different biological types of T. tabaci ('communis type' and 'tabaci type') based on some ecological traits, distinct reproductive modes, different host range, virus transmission capability (TSWV) and morphological differences on the abdominal tergites of second-stage larvae.…”

Onion thrips colonization of onion fields bordering crop and non‐crop habitats in muck cropping systems

“…; Shelton et al. ) and facilitating the transmission and spread of plant pathogens (McKenzie et al. ; Ullman et al.…”

“…Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is a cosmopolitan yield-reducing agricultural pest, injuring plants via feeding (Fournier et al 1995;Shelton et al 2008) and facilitating the transmission and spread of plant pathogens (McKenzie et al 1993;Ullman et al 2002;Dutta et al 2014). Onion, Allium cepa L., is the preferred host of T. tabaci (Doederlein and Sites 1993); however, crops in the Amaryllidaceae, Brassicaceae and Poaceae, and plants in at least 14 other families are also hosts of this insect (Smith et al 2011).…”

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)) in cabbage on Prince Edward Island: observations on planting date and variety choice

“…Onion thrips represent a serious threat to cabbage production in cabbage growing regions of the world (Garamvölgyi et al 2004 ; Shelton et al 2008 ). Damage can appear as a bronze discoloration and/or a rough texture on leaves within the head (North and Shelton 1986b ) causing injury up to 20 layers deep (Trdan et al 2005 ; Respondek and Zvalo 2008 ) and reducing marketable production.…”