Phytoparasitica (2014) 42, 41-52

Giulia C. Mautino, Lara Bosco and Luciana Tavella (2014)
Impact of control strategies on Thrips tabaci and its predator Aeolothrips intermedius on onion crops
Phytoparasitica 42 (1), 41-52
Abstract: Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major pest of onion worldwide. In 2011, research was conducted in a commercial onion field in northwestern Italy to: (i) assess the presence of autochthonous onion thrips predators on the crop; and (ii) evaluate the impact of the commonly used insecticides and alternative pest management strategies on onion thrips and its autochthonous predators. Toxicity of the active ingredients on local populations of onion thrips and its predatory thrips was also evaluated in laboratory bioassays. During field surveys, the highest and lowest thrips infestations were observed in plots treated with lambda-cyhalothrin and spinosad, respectively. The effectiveness of spinosad on T. tabaci was also confirmed in laboratory bioassays. The dominant zoophagous species Aeolothrips intermedius (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) was more adversely affected by treatment with lambda-cyhalothrin, confirmed by a decrease in predator/prey ratios. The use of spinosad and acibenzolar-S-methyl is suggested as an alternative to conventional insecticides for the preservation of A. intermedius, which proved to be a potential biological control agent of T. tabaci.
(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): Luciana Tavella

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
health/environmental effects of pesticides
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
resistance to pesticides

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Thrips tabaci	Onion/garlic/leek (Allium)	Italy
Aeolothrips intermedius (predator)	Thrips tabaci	Onion/garlic/leek (Allium)	Italy