Developmental and Reproductive Performance of the Tobacco Thrips, <i>Frankliniella fusca</i> (Hinds) (Insecta: Thysanoptera), on Leaves of Nicotiana spp.

Abstract

Tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca, which is a vector of Tospovirus, is a serious pest of tobacco, peanuts, and cotton in the United States. It was said that immigration of the adult thrips from weed hosts into crop fields is a cause of TSWV epidemy in the field. Recently this pest thrips was introduced into Japan. We investigated survival rate, developmental time, and fecundity of a Japanese strain of F. fusca on leaves of tobacco, peanut, and green bean at 18˚C. Thrips could not complete larval development on 3 Nicotiana species, N. tabacum, N. gossei, and N. rustica. On the other hand, survival rate from hatching to adult emergence on peanut and green bean is 78% and 86%, respectively. A female adult thrips lived during about 25 days and deposited 101 eggs on green bean, but died within 10 days without ovipositing on Nicotiana spp. The tobacco is not a reproductive host plant that permits tobacco thrips to propagate, but an adult food source that is susceptible of TSWV.

Stability of neonicotinoid sensitivity in Frankliniella fusca populations found in agroecosystems of the southeastern USA

“…Such crops include cotton, soybean, and peanut, which as seedlings support high infestations of larval F. fusca . Other such crops, including tobacco, are frequently fed on by adult F. fusca but are poor reproductive hosts …”

“…8,[18][19][20][21][22] Other such crops, including tobacco, are frequently fed on by adult F. fusca but are poor reproductive hosts. 23 Following the peak, F. fusca populations decline dramatically but persist throughout the year in low numbers on both crop and non-crop hosts. Neonicotinoid applications applied to cotton and other crops during the summer months, primarily for control of sucking pests (e.g.…”