The citrus industry’s multi-faceted approach to thrips management. Citrus is South Africa’s largest fruit sector, with about 100 000 hectares under cultivation and more than R25 billion in annual exports. “The market wants a perfect fruit that is free of pesticide…
The basics of integrated thrips management in blueberries Thrips constitute a group of about 7 700 species, of which only a few are economically significant agricultural pests. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) and South African citrus thrips (Scirtothrips aurantii) are the…
A new research project investigates thrips monitoring, movement, and environmental preferences. Given market demands for unblemished, residue-free fruit, successful thrips management requires a strong grasp of the pest’s biology. However, the many unanswered questions about thrips in blueberries (and several…