Tomato thrips are small sized insects that feed on leaves and fruits of the plant and they are big threats to the tomato crops. Their feeding habits cause stunted growth, low production, and susceptibility to diseases, ailments. It was established that managing thrips: Biocontrol Of Tomato Thrips and Effects On Tomato Fields is extremely important for healthy production of tomatoes. This blog seeks to discuss the various methods of biological control for tomato thrips and more preferably organic ones.
Understanding Tomato Thrips
Tomato thrips are slim, small insects belonging to the order Thysanoptera and the family Thripidae that hugely affect tomato plants. The adult beetles feed on leaves and fruits causing small, round, brown to black spots surrounded by a white halo known as stippling, silvering, and necrotic spots. Thrips are also known to carry several plant viruses hence increase their effects on the crops.
Biological Control Methods
Biological control refers to the utilization of predators, parasites as well as pathogens as a means of controlling the menace of pests. Thrips control insecticides control methods are not sustainable and remain more dangerous to the environment.
Beneficial Insects
Using natural enemies of thrips in the greenhouse or field can effectively solve the problem of population density of the pests. Some effective beneficial insects include:Some effective beneficial insects include:
Predatory Mites (Amblyseius spp. ): These mites are parasites, which feed on thrips both, larvae and imagoes: they are useful in regulating the population density of the latter.
Minute Pirate Bugs (Orius spp. ): Both of these small bugs are carnivorous in nature and are used for large scale elimination of thrips and other related bugs. This option can be used in cases where the predatory species are to be set free in the crop to continue hunting for the pests.
Lacewing Larvae (Chrysoperla spp. ): Others, referred to as lacewing larvae or “aphid lions” are also predators of thrips and therefore beneficial insects to use in thrips control.
Entomopathogenic Fungi
Entomopathogenic fungi include those natural pathogens which affect and kill insects. It can be used as a form of bio-chemical control applied on crops as insecticides. Two effective fungi for tomato thrips control are:
Beveria WP is a powerful bioinsecticide formulated as a wettable powder that is extremely useful for thrips control. This product utilizes the fungus Beauveria bassiana, which pierces the body wall of thrips, developing inside until they die.
By using Beveria WP, you can effectively manage thrips infestations in your crops. The formulation is easy to apply as a spray, ensuring direct impact on the thrips. For more information and to purchase, visit Beveria WP Wettable Powder.
Choose Beveria WP for a natural and efficient solution to thrips control with a bioinsecticide that works.
Verticillium lecanii: Another fungal pathogen that is effective against thrips is another viable option. Like Beauveria bassiana, it parasitizes and kills the insects since it is a type of fungus.
Nematodes
Regarding the control methods, it is important to note that entomopathigenic nematodes such as steinernema feltiae can be used to control thrips. These microscopic worms enter the body of thrips larvae present in the soil and lay eggs, which in turn release bacteria that prove fatal to the host. Some of these can be used on the soil surrounding the tomato plant to eliminate the soil inhabiting stages of thrips.
Organic Insecticides
Pesticidal sprays can also be disastrous since they have been found to cause the death of a number of thrips as well as other insects, and also organic insecticides obtained from natural sources are also effective in the management of thrips. These include:
Neem Oil: From the neem tree, neem oil works as antifeedant, repellent, and growth inhibitor to the thrips. It can be sprayed on the plants to minimise the attack of thrips on plants .
Insecticidal Soaps: These soaps dissolve the outer cover or the cell walls of thrips hence, they cause dehydration and die in the process. Most of them can harm the useful insects and can be applied together with other methods of biological struggle.
Cultural Practices
In addition to introducing biological control agents, implementing good cultural practices can enhance thrips management:In addition to introducing biological control agents, implementing good cultural practices can enhance thrips management:
Regular Monitoring: Thrips are nuisances for plants and their presence should be checked from time to time in the plant. It is recommended to pick up possible deviations from the typical practice before they escalate and become an issue.
Sanitation: Thrips are mostly found in plant debris, for this reason, owners should remove and dump any plant that is infected to avoid the breeding of thrips.
Reflective Mulches: H. Avoid planting in the Fields which have reflective surfaces such as silver or aluminum foil to its plants since they deter the thrips as well as hindering their feeding.
Conclusion
Cultural control measures are therefore campaigns that work with bio control measures to eliminate or suppress the pest in tomato farms. Thus, employing natural enemies which include predators, entomopathogenic fungi, nematodes, and organic insecticides help to protect tomato crops from the destructive thrips.
You can obtain deeper information concerning organic treatment for thrips from Novobac. These methods as well ensure the production of healthy tomatoes of high quality to the world’s environment and health.