EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF Thrips nigropilosus Uzel (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) ON Mentha × piperita L. AND THE IMPACT OF PEST ON THE HOST PLANT

Abstract

Thrips nigropilosus Uzel is a polyphagous species occurring mainly in temperate climates. Its life cycle de- pends on photoperiodic and temperature conditions. T. nigropilosus feeds on different plant species, but it is considered one of the most serious pests of pyrethrum plants causing serious economic problems. However, several additional agricultural host plants have been affected by T. nigropilosus, including spearmint, cu- cumber, and lettuce, indicating that this insect can significantly widen its habitats and occurs especially frequently in greenhouses. We report that T. nigropilosus massively attacked Mentha × piperita L. cultivated in greenhouses in central Poland and destroyed the entire mint crops within a short time. The study provided insight into the harmful effect of the thrips and showed that the length of the thrips developmental cycle was reduced with temperature increases from 18 to 26.6°C. The lower threshold temperatures were 13.7, 10.2, 5.0, and 10.1 for eggs, larvae, pupae, and total development, respectively, and the thermal constant for the same developmental stages was 65.9, 90, 132.5, and 284.9-degree days. Both parameters were estimated by linear regression analysis. During our experiment, T. nigropilosus developed by thelytokous parthenogenesis. The morphological and anatomical changes in damaged plants were associated with the fact that the insect began feeding on the lower lamina surface close to the leaf midribs, but no damage to vascular bundles and glandular cells was observed.

Anatomical and Biochemical Traits Associated with Field Resistance of Onion Cultivars to Onion Thrips and the Effect of Mechanical Injury on the Level of Biochemical Compounds in Onion Leaves

“…Nevertheless, there is still no firm evidence of whether thrips feed on vascular bundles, and such a possibility is only indicated by the studies of Harrewijn et al [85]. According to Kucharczyk et al [86], chrysanthemum thrips, Thrips nigropilosus Uzel does not damage vascular bundles while feeding on peppermint leaves. The authors assumed that this was probably associated with the fact that the outer walls of the epidermal cells at the sites of vascular bundles were covered by a thicker cuticle layer than on other cells of leaf epidermis.…”

Effect of temperature on the development and reproduction of Thrips flavus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

“…It is already known that the population dynamics of thrips are significantly affected by ambient temperature (Shipp & Gillespie, 1993; Woldemelak et al, 2021). Previous studies reported the effect of temperature on the development of a variety of thrips, including Frankliniella occidentalis , Megalurothrips sjostedti (Gitonga et al, 2002), F. intonsa (Ullah & Lim, 2015), Franklinothrips vespiformis (Larentzaki et al, 2007), Echinothrips americanus Morgan (Zhu et al, 2017), Thrips hawaiiensis (Cao et al, 2018), Thrips nigropilosus (Kucharczyk et al, 2019) and Pezothrips kellyanus (Varikou et al, 2009). Thrips are considered difficult to control because of their multiple generations and resistance to insecticides (Y. L. Gao et al, 2012; Reitz et al, 2020).…”