Investigate the ecology and management of blueberry flower thrips in Georgia

Commodities

Practices

Flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are one of the
blueberries' most common and harmful groups of pests (Turner &
Liburd 2007). Flower thrips can transmit viral diseases besides
feeding injury and deteriorating fruit quality. Insecticides are
the primary tools for controlling flower thrips in blueberries
(Liburd et al., 2017). However, the frequent overuse of
insecticides can lead to the development of pesticide resistance
problems and the increase in toxicity to beneficial insects and
contamination of the environment. Particularly, the timing of
flower thrips control during the bloom period presents a serious
threat to pollinator health, which is also active during the
bloom. There is an immediate need to develop a sustainable
strategy to control the flower thrips populations that minimize
pollinator health risks and do not enhance insecticide
resistance. This research study accurately investigates the
spatio-temporal distribution patterns and alternative hosts. It
characterizes the flower thrips injury, which will help to
determine the relationship between thrips densities and the
amount of injury. The results obtained from this study will help
us to detect the sources of the first infestation of thrips in
the blueberry during bloom and help to develop more sustainable
management programs to control thrips by using alternative
strategies, including cultural and biological controls, and
minimizing the use of broad-spectrum insecticides. This
management approach will decrease the risk to pollinator health
and enhance pollinator activity during the bloom, increasing
productivity and profitability for blueberry farmers.

The overall goal of this study is to investigate the
spatio-temporal distribution patterns and alternative hosts and
characterize the blueberry flower thrips injury in Georgia to
ultimately help blueberry farmers make informed decisions to
control flower thrips more sustainably.

Specific objectives

1. Determine the spatio-temporal distribution patterns and
   identify the alternative hosts of blueberry flower thrips in
   Georgia.
2. Characterize flower thrips injury in blueberry crops.