Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #364070
Research Project: Mitigating High Consequence Domestic, Exotic, and Emerging Diseases of Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals

Location: Subtropical Plant Pathology Research

Title: Sampling for estimating Frankliniella species flower thrips and orius species predators in field experiments

Author
item FUNDERBURK, JOE - University Of Florida
item MARTINI, XAVIER - University Of Florida
item FREEMAN, JOSH - University Of Florida
item STRZYZEWSKI, IRIS - University Of Florida
item TRACZYK, EDWARD - University Of Florida
item SKARLINSKY, THOMAS - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item Adkins, Scott

Submitted to: Journal of Visualized Experiments
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2019
Publication Date: 7/17/2019
Citation: Funderburk, J., Martini, X., Freeman, J., Strzyzewski, I., Traczyk, E., Skarlinsky, T., Adkins, S.T. 2019. Sampling for estimating Frankliniella species flower thrips and orius species predators in field experiments. Journal of Visualized Experiments. (149), e59869. https://doi.org/10.3791/59869.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3791/59869

Interpretive Summary: Presented here is a protocol to determine the number of thrips and minute pirate bug predators in crops over multiple dates in field experiments. Also illustrated is how to determine the efficacy of management tactics against thrips and evaluate the benefits of predation by minute pirate bugs. These techniques will be helpful for extension and research personnel.

Technical Abstract: The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, is a polyphagous pest that has been spread worldwide. Minute pirate bugs are the most important worldwide predators of thrips. Flower samples taken at least weekly are needed to understand predator-prey dynamics. A sampling protocol for the flowers of fruiting vegetables and companion plants to estimate the densities of individual thrips and minute pirate bug species are demonstrated. Representative data illustrates how the protocol is used to determine the efficacy of management tactics over time and how to evaluate the benefits of predation by minute pirate bugs. The sampling protocol is similarly adaptable to sampling thrips and minute pirate bugs in other plant species hosts.