Host plant evaluation behaviour of Frankliniella occidentalis on vegetable crops
Abstract
Subject of the proposed study is a cosmopolitan thrips species with extraordinary potential for damage: Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), the western flower thrips, is one of the most harmful pests on almost all vegetable and ornamental crops in the greenhouse. About 200 hectares vegetable crops in greenhouse cultures are cultivated in Vienna and practically all these cultures are threatened by F. occidentalis, thus the economic damage potential becomes quite obvious. The project investigates specific behaviours of thrips females on different host (crop) plants. It is known that morphological plant characteristics such as leaf hairs on a plant surface or biochemical factors affect the host selection of thrips and the thrips infestation levels of plants. But up to now behavioural patterns and activities of F. occidentalis on different host plants have not been studied in detail, for instance if and how single host evaluation behaviours such as feeding, egg-laying or exploration of the plant surface are influenced by the plant. Therefore the scientific objective of the present project proposal is to compare specific behaviours of F. occidentalis females on five different vegetable crops (tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber, aubergine, and bean). Based on video recordings, behavioural patterns and sequences of western flower thrips on the vegetable plants are analysed by means of special software for computing observational data. Initial responses of thrips upon first contact with the respective plant and their residence time on different plants are researched in a short-term observational bioassay. Another bioassay allows comparing the feeding and egg-laying activity of F. occidentalis on different vegetable crops over a 24-hour period. This research provides basic knowledge on behaviours of F. occidentalis on morphologically and biochemical dissimilar vegetable crops and may contribute to a better understanding of insect-plant-interactions. Moreover this knowledge can be extremely valuable not only to plant breeders in their search for resistant varieties, but also to enhance the efficiency of biological control measures using beneficial arthropod species against thrips on different crop plants.
keywords Thysanoptera host plant selection behavioural patterns life history parameters
Publikationen
Project staff
Elisabeth Helene Koschier
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Elisabeth Helene Koschier
elisabeth.koschier@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-95303
BOKU Project Leader
01.01.2011 - 30.06.2012