As more growers around the human race front Thrips ( Order : Thysanoptera ) and the crop challenges they bring , selective information and intellect have never been more important . Unnoticed Thrips challenges present a significant scourge to growers as their populations can quickly inflate , impacting on crop output , quality and overall cost . In particular , when crop are destined for overseas securities industry which are typically sensitive to calibre and have nonindulgent phytosanitary restrictions in place , ignoring this threat may result in significant financial losses when the craw fails to make it to market . reciprocally , with Thrips monitoring data useable , growers can run well-timed interventions and direct live - berth . other detection then translate into reduced spray volumes and reduce harvest expiration .
by Festus Kilee , John Ogechah and Cory Smit
fortuitously , there are well - set up methods of tracking and monitoring Thrips populations on crops . By on a regular basis gathering Thrips data using sticky gob , pheromone lures and manual observation technique , growers can get a head start and inform their control decisions , mitigate craw release and save money .
Charles Njuki inspect a Sticktech sticky card
Methods of other detectionGlobal crop trade protection research endeavor have result in a routine of monitoring tools and techniques being get for use in a farm environment . In this article , we will incubate reconnoitring , traps and pheromone lures for Thrips ( however , these techniques can be applied to a variety of other flying harvest pests . )
ScoutingScouting uses visual inspections of the flora to remark Thrips presence and pressure . A simple technique involves counting larvae by gently tapping a sample of the crop onto an A4 - sized sheet of white theme , any Thrips which drop to the paper are then counted using a magnifying lens or loupe and recorded .
Sticky trapsDifferent louse pests are pull in to different colours ( wavelengths of light ) , with yellow and blue so far proving most attractive to harvest pests . For example , Western flower thrips ( Frankliniella occidentalis ) which are most common and hard to control , particularly favour sorry traps over yellow ones .
Fig . 1 . Sticktech Blue mode of action at law .
The colour - tune up fabric on these trap attracts the gadfly to an adhesive covered airfoil , which they then stick to to , becoming ensnare . Researchers or raiser , then collect the data point from the traps by counting and identifying the Thrips and other louse caught . This data , when plot over time , reveals the pest trends for the area in question .
Dudutech has a range of tools for former spotting of flying leg :
PheromonesThese are synthetic chemical signal which mimic natural insect pheromone to attract the target to a trap . Since these are base on nature , these pheromone lures are species - specific . However , there are a wide variety of pheromone lures available for a number of important craw plague .
What other benefits?Beyond the scope of thoroughgoing observation , these sticky trap are also a worthful part of successful IPM practice . When research worker ( Kirk and Sampson , 2013 ) look at the potential economic returns gained from using traps and pheromones as part of a craw protection strategy for strawberry , they revealed a quality effect on the overall return . The charts below exemplify their finding :
Chart 1 . select effect of pasty traps in strawberries ( Kirk and Sampson , 2013 ) .
In summary , Kirk and Sampson ( 2013 ) observe that trap importantly increase the proportionality of Class 1 yield , and pheromones further improve their efficacy . These measuring would be especially beseem to growers who wish to optimise their yield quality and those whose crops undergo strict quality checks before entering the market .
When used together , these tools can provide a exhaustive picture of the current and next course in Thrips challenges on a farm . Having these measures in place early could provide the vital data point farmers need to make informed and well - time crop protection decisions , reducing cost and improving craw quality .
Chart 1 develop from the following research paper : Sampson , Clare & Kirk , William . ( 2013 ) . Can Mass Trapping Reduce Thrips Damage and Is It Economically Viable ? Management of the Western Flower Thrips in Strawberry . PloS one . 8 . e80787 . 10.1371 / journal.pone.0080787 .
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