Abstract
Simple SummaryThrips flavus Schrank (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a worldwide phytophagous pest in Palearctic Asian and European countries. T. flavus feeds on a wide spectrum of host plants. Thus, understanding its host plant preferences is important for pest control. We tested the development duration, population parameters, and population growth of T. flavus on five species of plants. The intrinsic rate of increase and fecundity was the highest on Cucumis sativus, followed by Glycine max and Capsicum annuum. However, Solanum melongena and Brassica rapa var. glabra were not suitable host plants. These results help to improve our understanding of the population dynamics of T. flavus and should lead to positive measures to control thrips in the field.Host plants play an important role in affecting insect development and reproduction. Understanding the host plant preferences is important for pest control. Thrips flavus Schrank (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a worldwide phytophagous pest in Palearctic Asian and European countries. We used a life table analysis to study the development duration, population parameters, and population growth of T. flavus on five plant species, including Solanum melongena (Solanaceae), Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae), Glycine max (Leguminosae), Brassica rapa var. glabra (Cruciferae), and Cucumis sativus (Cucurbitaceae). The results showed that T. flavus can survive and reproduce on Cu. sativus and G. max, which were two potentially suitable host plants. T. flavus preferred to oviposit on Cu. sativus with a shorter duration of development (17.8 days) at 25 °C. Therefore, the host plant was an important factor influencing the development and fecundity of T. flavus populations. These results will improve our understanding of the population dynamics of T. flavus and facilitate the development of more scientific and efficient measures to control thrips.
Highlights
Thrips flavus Schrank (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a worldwide phytophagous insect in Palearctic Asian and European countries [1,2,3,4,5]
The net reproductive rate (R0 ) was highest on cucumber (9.8276 per female), followed by those on soybean (7.2333 per female) and pepper (1.3077 per female). These results indicate that T. flavus had higher fecundity or faster development rates on these three plants
A life table is an important method to study the mechanism of insect population dynamics [28,29]
Summary
Thrips flavus Schrank (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a worldwide phytophagous insect in Palearctic Asian and European countries [1,2,3,4,5]. T. flavus feeds on a wide spectrum of host plants, including at least 97 species in 33 families, resulting in a reduction in the economic values of vegetables, fruits, flowers, tobacco, and oil crops [6,7]. The insects feed and oviposit on flowers, leaves, and pods causing direct damage [8,9,10]. The damage caused by T. flavus appears as necrotic silvering on the leaves and results in the curling, deformation and withering of the leaves and early senescence or deformation of the flowers [6]. T. flavus has been increasingly recognized as one of the main pests on soybean from the flowering stage to early stage of podding in Northeast China [13]. T. flavus is primarily distributed on the first to the fifth trifoliolate position of soybean plants and on the dorsal sides of leaves [15]. It is known that the development and reproduction of thrips are significantly affected by host plants and many other environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and natural enemies [19,20]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
