Pest Management Science (2012) 68, 1537-1545

Ozan Demirozer, Kara Tyler-Julian, Joe Funderburk, Norm Leppla and Stuart Reitz (2012)
Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) integrated pest management programs for fruiting vegetables in Florida
Pest Management Science 68 (12), 1537-1545
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The spread of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), resulted in the worldwide destabilization of established integrated pest management programs for many crops. Efforts to control the pest and the thrips-vectored tospoviruses with calendar applications of broad-spectrum insecticides have been unsuccessful. The result has been a classic '3-R' situation: resistance to numerous insecticides; resurgence of the western flower thrips populations as a result of natural predators and native competitor thrips being eliminated; replacement by various other pests. This paper reports on integrated pest management programs for fruiting vegetables that are effective, economical, ecologically sound and sustainable.
RESULTS: The components include the following: define pest status (economic thresholds); increase biotic resistance (natural enemies and competition); integrate preventive and therapeutic tactics (scouting, ultraviolet-reflective technologies, biological control, compatible insecticides, companion plants and fertility); vertically integrate the programs with other pests; continually communicate latest science-based management tactics with end-users.
CONCLUSION: These programs have been widely implemented in Florida and have significantly improved the management of western flower thrips and thrips-transmitted viruses.
(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): Ozan Demirozer, Stuart R. Reitz, Joe Funderburk, Norman C. Leppla

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis		U.S.A. (SE)