• Latest
  • Trending
Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

June 6, 2021
Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

September 15, 2025
The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

September 15, 2025
Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

September 14, 2025
From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

September 14, 2025
A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

September 13, 2025
Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

September 13, 2025
Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

September 12, 2025
From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

September 12, 2025
Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

September 11, 2025
How the Netherlands Doubled Strawberry Production While Using 15% Less Land

How the Netherlands Doubled Strawberry Production While Using 15% Less Land

September 11, 2025
The 475% Markup: Spain’s Watermelon Price Surge Exposes Critical Flaws in Fresh Produce Supply Chains

The 475% Markup: Spain’s Watermelon Price Surge Exposes Critical Flaws in Fresh Produce Supply Chains

September 10, 2025
The Blue Gold Fades: Peru’s Avocado and Blueberry Boom Faces Profitability Crossroads

The Blue Gold Fades: Peru’s Avocado and Blueberry Boom Faces Profitability Crossroads

September 10, 2025
  • Company
Monday, September 15, 2025
Vegetables News
  • NEWS
    Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

    Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

    The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

    The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

    Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

    Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

    From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

    From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

    Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

    Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

    Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

    From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

    From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

    Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

    Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Heritage Garlic Under Threat: The Clash Between Preservation and Progress in Danyang’s Premium Garlic Project

    Heritage Garlic Under Threat: The Clash Between Preservation and Progress in Danyang’s Premium Garlic Project

    Navigating Risk and Reward: British Sugar’s New Contract Options Reshape Grower Economics

    Navigating Risk and Reward: British Sugar’s New Contract Options Reshape Grower Economics

    Israel’s Water Crisis Reaches Breaking Point: Agriculture Bears Brunt of Unprecedented Drought

    Israel’s Water Crisis Reaches Breaking Point: Agriculture Bears Brunt of Unprecedented Drought

    Kazakhstan’s Agri-Strategic Pivot: A Data-Driven Shift from Wheat to Value-Added Crops

    Kazakhstan’s Agri-Strategic Pivot: A Data-Driven Shift from Wheat to Value-Added Crops

    Pushing the Climate Envelope: Kaliningrad Farmer Targets 15-Ton Watermelon Harvest

    Pushing the Climate Envelope: Kaliningrad Farmer Targets 15-Ton Watermelon Harvest

    Hungary’s Sour Cherry Crisis: Frost Decimates Harvest While Global Demand Soars

    Hungary’s Sour Cherry Crisis: Frost Decimates Harvest While Global Demand Soars

    Cabbage Compound Breaks Down Dental Plaque by 90% – A Game Changer for Oral Health and Agriculture

    Cabbage Compound Breaks Down Dental Plaque by 90% – A Game Changer for Oral Health and Agriculture

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

    Belarus Harvest 2024: Strong Yields for Sugar Beet and Cereals Amid Strategic Focus on Winter Sowing

    The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

    The Agronomic Powerhouse: Validating Cabbage’s Superior Nutritional Profile and Market Potential

    Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

    Beyond the Plate: Broccoli Bouquet Signals a Shift in Consumer Values and Agricultural Branding

    From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

    From the Volga to the Bosphorus: Russian Pickle Producer Expands into Turkish and Halal Markets

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

    Border Biosecurity in Action: 15-Ton Cabbage Shipment Halted Over Destructive Thrips Infestation

    Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

    Beyond the Head: Unpacking the Environmental and Agronomic Factors Behind Cabbage Crop Failure

    From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

    From Food Waste to High-Tech Sensor: The Unexpected Potential of Chinese Cabbage

    Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

    Germany Extends Harvest Help: 90-Day Tax-Free Work Period Set to Address Agricultural Labor Shortages

  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
    • All
    • Climate
    • Crop protection
    • digital (smart)
    • dron
    • Fertilizer
    • Research
    • weed
    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    A Double-Edged Sword: Soaring Chinese Cabbage Imports into Zabaykalsky Bring Heightened Biosecurity Risks

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Beyond the Field: How Cooperative-Led Education is Revolutionizing Garlic and Onion Production

    Heritage Garlic Under Threat: The Clash Between Preservation and Progress in Danyang’s Premium Garlic Project

    Heritage Garlic Under Threat: The Clash Between Preservation and Progress in Danyang’s Premium Garlic Project

    Navigating Risk and Reward: British Sugar’s New Contract Options Reshape Grower Economics

    Navigating Risk and Reward: British Sugar’s New Contract Options Reshape Grower Economics

    Israel’s Water Crisis Reaches Breaking Point: Agriculture Bears Brunt of Unprecedented Drought

    Israel’s Water Crisis Reaches Breaking Point: Agriculture Bears Brunt of Unprecedented Drought

    Kazakhstan’s Agri-Strategic Pivot: A Data-Driven Shift from Wheat to Value-Added Crops

    Kazakhstan’s Agri-Strategic Pivot: A Data-Driven Shift from Wheat to Value-Added Crops

    Pushing the Climate Envelope: Kaliningrad Farmer Targets 15-Ton Watermelon Harvest

    Pushing the Climate Envelope: Kaliningrad Farmer Targets 15-Ton Watermelon Harvest

    Hungary’s Sour Cherry Crisis: Frost Decimates Harvest While Global Demand Soars

    Hungary’s Sour Cherry Crisis: Frost Decimates Harvest While Global Demand Soars

    Cabbage Compound Breaks Down Dental Plaque by 90% – A Game Changer for Oral Health and Agriculture

    Cabbage Compound Breaks Down Dental Plaque by 90% – A Game Changer for Oral Health and Agriculture

  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING
No Result
View All Result
Vegetables News
Home AGROTECHNOLOGY Crop protection

Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

by Demin Alexey
June 6, 2021
in Crop protection
0
Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables
The hotter temperatures we have had have caused thrips and to a lesser extent two spotted spider mite, TSSM (Tetranychus urticae) populations to rapidly increase in some vegetable fields in Maryland.

These pests feed by puncturing the outer layer of plant tissue and sucking out the cell contents, which results in stippling, discolored flecking, or silvering of the leaf surface (Fig.1). We will talk mostly about thrips this time as I covered TSSMs in an earlier article. Thrips feeding is usually accompanied by black flecks of frass (thrips poop) (Fig. 1a), while mite poop is white or clear.

Figure 1. Thrips feeding on tomato leaf, black specks are thrips feces (A) and feeding damage by mites (B).

These two pests can discolor and scar leaf, flower, and fruit surfaces, and distort plant parts and, in the case of thrips, vector plant pathogens. There are several species of vegetable thrips with the most common being the Eastern flower thrips, Frankliniella tritici, Tobacco thrips Frankliniella fusca, Western flower thrips, F. occidentalis and Onion thrips Thrips tabaci. The last three species are the ones most likely to transmit tomato spotted wilt virus, TSWV.

Thrips feeding produces various tissue responses, including scar formation and distorted growth (fig. 2). Females of most plant-feeding species lay their kidney-shaped eggs on or into plant tissue (this latter placement makes it practically impossible to find thrips eggs on plants). Thrips hatch from an egg and develop into two larval stages and then the ‘prepupa and pupa’ stages, before becoming an adult.

The prepupae and pupae of most species drop to the soil or leaf litter to pupate. Thrips have several generations (up to eight) a year. When the weather is warm, the life cycle may be as short as 2 weeks.

Thrips thresholds for vegetables are: flowers of tomato, pepper or watermelon can tolerate 5 thrips/flower with no fruit developmental problems. Squash and pumpkin flowers can tolerate 5-10 thrips/flower with no effect on fruit quality. One or two applications of a pyrethroid or neonic or spinosad (see 2020/2021 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendation guide) applied with enough water (60-80 gal/a, you have to have thorough coverage) should control most thrips infestations.

For two spotted spider mites Agri-Mek has shown very good results even when spray coverage was inadequate. There are several other miticides such as Acramite that also will give good control of TSSM and can be found in the recommendations guide. Be sure to apply any pesticides when bees will not be active in the field.

Some of the populations of thrips and mites in the field now are probably the result of transplants that were lightly infested with these pests. These infestations usually consist of immatures, which are hard to spot or eggs that are just about impossible to find if they laid inside leaf tissue (thrips) or there are only a few of them on the underside of the leaf in crevices (mites).

Studies I have conducted show that if you treat your transplants (especially tomatoes) with 2 applications of a horticultural oil spray (0.5-1% by volume) with the first application coming 7-10 days before transplanting and the 2nd coming 1-2 days (or per label instructions) before you go to the field, you can almost eliminate any thrips or two spotted spider mite problems that started from your transplants.

During the season spraying more than 3-4 times for thrips or two spotted spider mites in the field over a 4-5-week period with little control will lead to an even worse problem. This is because the sprays will greatly reduce all of the pests’ natural enemies, but not the thrips or TSSM that may have developed resistance to the applied pesticides. Once you apply an insecticide or miticide you need to evaluate how well it worked by scouting the field again a few days after the application. If the pests are still very active you need to reevaluate what was applied and how it was applied.

Contact your county educator or crop specialist for help in making the evaluation.

– Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland

Figure 2 at top. Pepper leaf distortions due to thrips feeding.

mites in vegetables
Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

/crop-protection/

Tags: crop protectionpepperpestspider mitethripstomatoWatermelon
Previous Post

Infrared technology could streamline food processing tests

Next Post

13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

Next Post
13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

13 innovation companies for first harvest automation cohort

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy of vegetables.news app

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • AGROTECHNOLOGY
  • IRRIGATION
  • SEED PRODUCTION
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • PROCESSING

© 2020-2024 VEGETABLES NEWS