Environmental Entomology (2020) 49, 73-87

Rafia A. Khan, Dakshina R. Seal, Shouan Zhang, Oscar E. Liburd, Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan and Edward Evans (2020)
Distribution pattern of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and tomato chlorotic spot virus in South Florida tomato fields
Environmental Entomology 49 (1), 73-87
Abstract: Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) is an orthotospovirus that causes a devastating disease in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller). TCSV emerged recently in South Florida. Studies were conducted in three commercial tomato fields in Miami-Dade County, Florida during the vegetable-growing seasons from October to April in 2015 through 2017. Each year, data were collected at 3, 6, and 9 wk after transplanting at various distances from the edges of each fields. Based on 3 yr total samples, three species of thrips were commonly observed melon thrips, Thrips palmi Karny (62.16 ± 0.79%), being the most abundant species followed by common blossom thrips, Frankliniella schultzei Trybom (21.55 ± 0.66%), and western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (16.26 ± 0.61%). Abundance of all thrips and TCSV infected plants was high at the edge of a tomato field 3 wk after transplanting with significantly fewer infected plants toward the center of the field. The distribution patterns of thrips and TCSV in various fields were mostly regular and aggregated across the sampling dates during the study period. Abundance of TCSV symptomatic plants and thrips species was high at the edge of the field and increased over time. The number of samples required to accurately determine population density of thrips was calculated by using three precision levels (0.10, 0.20, 0.30) at three predetermined densities of thrips (0.10, 0.20, and 0.40 per sample). This information will provide guidelines to growers, crop protection personnel, agricultural scouts, and researchers to develop a sustainable thrips and tospovirus management program.
(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): Shouan Zhang, Oscar E. Liburd, Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Thrips palmi	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Frankliniella schultzei	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Orthotospovirus tomatoflavi	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)