Investigate the Ecology and Management of Blueberry Flower Thrips in Georgia

View the project final report

Commodities

• Fruits: berries (blueberries)

Practices

• Pest Management: economic threshold, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management

Flower thrips (Frankliniella tritici) are important pests of blueberries, and managing them during bloom can be challenging because insecticide applications may affect pollinators and other beneficial insects. This project investigated the spatio-temporal distribution and alternative hosts of flower thrips and characterized the relationship between thrips density and injury to blueberry flowers and fruit. Frankliniella tritici was the dominant species found in Georgia blueberry fields, with peak populations occurring during peak bloom and greater aggregation near surrounding wild habitats early in the season. Several weed species, particularly fetterbush, wild radish, and dewberry, supported thrips populations and may serve as alternative hosts. Greenhouse experiments further showed that flower injury increased with thrips density, and that responses varied among blueberry cultivars. These findings improve our understanding of flower thrips ecology and injury, and provide information to support monitoring and the development of more sustainable thrips management strategies in blueberry production.

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.