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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #258517
Title: Optimizing abiotic conditions for higher efficacy of 3 fungal pathogens against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood

Author
item KUMAR, VIVEK - University Of Florida
item SEAL, DAKSHINA - University Of Florida
item SCHUSTER, DAVID - University Of Florida
item McKenzie, Cindy
item KAKKAR, G - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Caribbean Food Crops Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2010
Publication Date: 7/12/2010
Citation: Kumar, V., Seal, D.R., Schuster, D.J., McKenzie, C.L., Kakkar, G. 2010. Optimizing abiotic conditions for higher efficacy of 3 fungal pathogens against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. Caribbean Food Crops Society Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood is a recently introduced important pest of fruits, ornamentals and vegetables. In Western Hemisphere, chilli thrips was reported for the first time in 2003, established in St. Lucia and St. Vincent in the insular Caribbean. It attacks all above ground parts of its host plants. Since there is, paucity of information on biological control of this pest, chemical control is always primary mode of its management. Thus we evaluated the efficacy of three fungal pathogens; Beauvaria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus against chilli thrips. The efficacy of these fungal pathogens depends greatly on the abiotic conditions including relative humidity and time of application and many other factors. In this study, we evaluated effect of three different moisture levels on the efficiency of these three fungal pathogens. In addition, we also determined the activity of three fungal pathogens against chilli thrips when applied at different timings of the day. Although the effectiveness of these fungal pathogens was inconsistent against chilli thrips, M. anisopliae and P. fumosoroseus provided better control than B. bassiana. In order to reduce possibility of resistance development to a particular chemistry in chilli thrips, these fungal pathogens can be used in rotation with chemical insecticides.