Thrips (thrips palmi

Major pests: Thrips, Aphids, spider mites.

1.Thrips (thrips palmi)

It is a tiny insect that is often located at the base of the leaves.

Adult thrips are pale yellow to light brown in colour, which are weak fliers. Immature stages are lighter in colour and wingless.

Thrip

Symptoms and Damage

• Symptoms begin at the margin of the fields. • Thrips suck the sap contents, thereof, reducing plant growth. • Deformation of flowers, leaves and fruits. • Thrips cause upward curling of leaves. • Causes white to silvery patches on the upperside of the leaf blades • Increased infestation leads to blackening and drying of leaves and irregular fruits.

Thrips Damage on Fruit Thrips damage on leaves

Management

• Avoid planting peppers close to onions, garlic and cereal fields (they act as hub for thrips) • Install yellow stickers to monitor the movement of adult thrips • Make the beds/field clean by weeding out weeds like sow thistle, little mallow and prickly lettuce. • Avoid excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer. • Treat the transplants with imidacloprid before planting in the main field. • Avoid spray of organophosphate insecticide class (e.g. malathion, acephate), carbamate e.g. methomyl, and pyrethroid insecticide class (bifenthrin, permethrin and cyfluthrin).

Because they are not effective against most thrips and can cause outbreak of predator mites. • Use non-ionic surfactants/spreader/sticker to increase insecticide penetration. E.g. Integra. • Alternatively introducing natural occurring enemies like flower bugs, lacewings and predator mites to feed on thrips.