Bulletin of Entomological Research (2018) 108, 413-420

Arnika Przybylska, Zaneta Fiedler, Patryk Frackowiak and Aleksandra Obrepalska-Steplowska (2018)
Real-time PCR assay for distinguishing Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips palmi
Bulletin of Entomological Research 108 (3), 413-420
Abstract: Thrips palmi and Frankliniella occidentalis (order Thysanoptera) are thrips species that represent major plant pests. They are polyphagous insects capable of adversely affecting crop production. As such, in the European Union, these thrips species should be regulated as quarantine organisms. T. palmi and F. occidentalis can cause considerable damage to susceptible plants by feeding on them and transmitting several viruses responsible for serious plant diseases. Successful pest control strategies are based on an early, fast, and reliable diagnosis, which precedes the selection of appropriate steps to limit the effects of harmful organisms. We herein describe a novel diagnostic approach that enables the sensitive and species-specific detection (and differentiation) of these pests in a duplex polymerase chain reaction assay, which was adapted for both standard and real-time quantitative assays. Our method is based on the amplification of a 5.8S-internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal DNA fragment that is conserved between T. palmi and F. occidentalis.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Aleksandra Obrepalska-Steplowska, Zaneta Fiedler

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis
	Thrips palmi