Study reveals new control options against invasive thrips parvispinus
A University of Florida scientist has published a study in the journal Insects that provides new products for battling invasive thrips parvispinus.
The thrip is a tiny, elusive insect that has spread across Florida with a growing appetite for a variety of fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops, according to a news release. Since it first emerged in a central Florida greenhouse in 2020, the pest has caused significant damages to various industries and even spread to residential areas, the release said.
In South Florida, the gardenia and mandevilla production industries experienced major losses, while others impacted that grow around the state include pepper varieties, hibiscus, Mexican petunias, ixoras, anthuriums, hoyas and scheffleras.
The new study offers new approaches to control the pest, according to the release.
“There are many products registered for thrips control that can be used in ornamental production” Alexandra Revynthi, the principal investigator and an assistant professor of ornamental entomology and acarology at the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences' Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Fla., said in the release. “This study narrows the list of products down and offers a few environmentally friendly options to minimize environmental impact.”
While no formal economic studies exist on the impact of the thrips parvispinus, since 2020, some growers reported estimates of their financial losses attributable to this pest ranging from several hundred thousand to a million dollars, not including the cost of managing the pest, Revynthi said.
“I hope that by identifying several efficacious treatments, the growers will have more tools in their hands to battle this pest and minimize its financial impact,” she said.
The research results indicate several products could be good options to consider, the release said.
“These products can either kill the thrips immediately, within 48 hours, or they can prevent them from feeding,” Revynthi said. “Since this was a laboratory study, the results are still pending validation from greenhouse experiments.”
The evaluation of 11 bio-rational insecticides also offers options that are more environmentally friendly and compatible with other management practices, such as biological control, she said.
To provide detailed information on the findings for growers, landscape companies and entomologists, a free workshop is scheduled for 9:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 27. The workshop will take place at the UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County auditorium at 18710 SW 288th St. in Homestead. For more information, please contact Qingchun Liu, commercial horticulture agent, at q.liu1@ufl.edu or 305-248-3311.
