Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Early Access

Relative abundance and population dynamics of chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood) (Thripidae:Thysanoptera) and its correlation with weather parameters

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.7322
Submitted
20 January 2025
Published
19-06-2025

Abstract

Thrips, particularly Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood) (Thripidae: Thysanoptera), are major sucking pests of chilli, with their populations varying throughout crop growth period depending on seasonal conditions. Field experiments were carried out during the rabi and kharif seasons of 2024 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to study the population dynamics of susceptible and resistant chilli plants about weather parameters. In the rabi season, thrips infestation began in the second week of January and continued till March 2024. The peak population was recorded during the flowering stage in the 6th Standard Meteorological Week (SMW), with 4.73 thrips per three leaves in the susceptible entry IC-537583 and 2.73 thrips in the resistant IC-344364 at 75 days after transplanting (DAT). The associated weather conditions included 32 °C maximum temperature, 22 °C minimum temperature, 84 % maximum relative humidity, 41 % minimum relative humidity, 5.0 km/h wind speed, no rainfall and 4.07 sunshine hours. The thrips population declined at crop maturity, with 3.53 thrips in IC-537583 and 1.87 thrips in IC-344364. During the kharif season, initial thrips populations were recorded at the 28th SMW, peaking at the 32nd SMW, with lower populations of 3.73 thrips in IC-537583 and 1.33 thrips in IC-344364, primarily due to heavy rainfall from July to September. Correlation analysis showed that thrips incidence was positively correlated with maximum temperature, sunshine hours and wind speed in the first season. In contrast, minimum temperature, rainfall and relative humidity (both maximum and minimum) had a negative correlation. In the second season, maximum and minimum temperatures, maximum relative humidity and sunshine hours positively influenced the thrips population, whereas minimum relative humidity and rainfall had a negative impact. Multiple regression analysis accounted for 73 % and 64 % variation in thrips population during rabi and 64 % and 48 % during kharif.

References

  1. 1.Hasan MJ, Kulsum MU, Ullah MZ, Hossain MM, Mahmud ME. Genetic diversity of some chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes. Int J Agri Res Innov Technol. 2014;4(1):32–35. https://doi.org/10.3329/ Int. j. agric. res. innov. technol.v4i1.21088
  2. 2. Swamy KRM. Origin, distribution, taxonomy, botanical description, genetic diversity and breeding of capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.). Int J Dev Res. 2023;13:61956–77. https://doi.org/10.37118/Int. J. Dev. Res. 26395.03.2023
  3. 3. Zhang XM, Zhang ZH, Gu XZ, Mao SL, Li XX, Chadoeuf J, et al. Genetic diversity of pepper (Capsicum spp.) germplasm resources in China reflects selection for cultivar types and spatial distribution. J Integr Agric. 2016;15(9):1991–2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/ J. Integr. Agric. 2095-3119(16)61364-3
  4. 4. Khoury CK, Carver D, Barchenger DW, Barboza GE, van Zonneveld M, Jarret R, et al. Modelled distributions and conservation status of the wild relatives of chilli peppers (Capsicum L.). Divers Distrib. 2020; 26(2):209–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/ Divers. Distrib.13008
  5. 5. Bosland PW, Votava EJ, editors. Peppers: vegetable and spice capsicums. 2nd ed. Cambridge:
  6. CABI; 2012. https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2013.411A007
  7. 6. Spice board of India. Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Review of Export performance of Spices during 2023-24 (internet). [cited 2025 Jan 9]. Available from: https://www.indianspices.com/sites/default/files/major %20itemwise %20export %202024 %20web.pdf
  8. 7. FAOSTAT: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [Internet]. Rome: 2024 Italy [cited 2025 Jan 9 ]. Available from: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL
  9. 8. Hossain MM, Singha A, Haque MS, Mondal MT, Jiku MA, Alam MA. Management of chilli insect pests by using trap crops. Thai J Agric Sci. 2021;54:212–21.
  10. 9. Visschers IG, Peters JL, van de Vondervoort JA, Hoogveld RH, van Dam NM. Thrips resistance screening is coming of age: leaf position and ontogeny are important determinants of leaf-based resistance in pepper. Front Plant Sci. 2019;24:10:510. https://doi.org/10.3389/ Front. Plant Sci.2019.00510
  11. 10. Scott-Brown AS, Hodgetts J, Hall J, Simmonds MJ, Collins DW. Potential role of botanic garden collections in predicting hosts at risk globally from invasive pests: a case study using Scirtothrips dorsalis. J Pest Sci. 2018;91:601–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/ J Pest Sci.10340-017-0916-2
  12. 11. Jones DR. Plant viruses transmitted by thrips. Eur J Plant Pathol. 2005;113:119–57.
  13. https://doi.org/10.1007/Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 10658-005-2334-1
  14. 12. Vanisree K, Upendhar S, Rajasekhar P, Ramachandra Rao G. Effect of newer insecticides against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood). J Entomol Zool Stud. 2017;5(2):277–84.
  15. 13. Tompe A, Hole U, Kulkarni S, Chaudhari C, Chavan S. Studies on seasonal incidence of leaf eating caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) infesting Capsicum under polyhouse condition. J Entomol Zool Stud. 2020;8:761–64.
  16. 14. Khatun MF, Jahan M, Das KR, Lee KY, Kil EJ. Population dynamics and biorational management of sucking insect vectors on Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) in Bangladesh. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol. 2023;112(2):e21980. https://doi.org/10.1002/arch.21980
  17. 15. Sridhar V, Rachana RR, Prasannakumar NR, Venkataravanappa V, Sireesha K, Kumari DA, et al. Dominance of invasive species, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) over the existing chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood on Chilli in the southern states of India with a note on its host range: a likely case of species displacement. Pest Manag Hort Ecosyst. 2021;27(2):132–36.
  18. 16. Srinivasnaik S, Vijayalakshmi K, Omprakash S, Balram, Kiran Reddy G. Thrips parvispinus, the unrelenting threat to chilli cultivation. Paper presented at: Entomology Student Conclave; 2025 Mar 15–17; Assam.
  19. 17. Bhede BV, Suryawanshi DS, More DG. Population dynamics and bioefficacy of newer insecticides against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood). Indian J Entomol. 2008;70(3):223–26.
  20. 18. Boachon B, Junker RR, Miesch L, Bassard JE, Höfer R, Caillieaudeaux R, et al. CYP76C1 (Cytochrome P450)-mediated linalool metabolism and the formation of volatile and soluble linalool oxides in Arabidopsis flowers: a strategy for defense against floral antagonists. Plant Cell. 2015;27(10):2972–90. https://doi.org/10.1105/ Plant Cell.15.00399
  21. 19. Ren X, Wu S, Xing Z, Gao Y, Cai W, Lei Z. Abundances of thrips on plants in vegetative and flowering stages are related to plant volatiles. J Appl Entomol. 2020;144(8):732–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/ J. Appl. Entomol.12794
  22. 20. Jamuna B, Timmanna H, Basavaraj YB, Baradevanal G, Srinivas A. Influence of weather on thrips population and tospovirus disease incidence in tomato crop. 2023;54(10):15851–62
  23. 21. Sahani SK, Mondal P, Pal S. Population dynamics of chilli thrips, S. dorsalis (Hood) and their natural enemies: Effect of weather factors in chilli agro-ecosystem. J Entomol Zool Stud. 2020;8(1):273–76.
  24. 22. Mandal L, Mondal P. Impact of weather parameters on population fluctuation of Chilli Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. Int J Stress Manag. 2023;14:207–14. https://doi.org/10.23910/ Int. J. Stress Manag .2023.3296
  25. 23. Aliakbarpour H, Salmah MR, Dieng H. Species composition and population dynamics of Thrips (Thysanoptera) in mango orchards of northern peninsular Malaysia. Environ. Entomol. 2010;39(5):1409–19. https://doi.org/10.1603/ Environ. Entomol.10066
  26. 24. Pathipati VL, Vijayalakshmi T, Naidu L. Seasonal incidence of major insect pests of Chilli in relation to weather parameters in Andhra Pradesh. Pest Manag Hort Ecosyst. 2014;20(1):36–40.
  27. 25. Zainab S, Sathua SK, Singh RN. Study of population dynamics and impact of abiotic factors on thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis of Chilli, Capsicum annuum and comparative bio-efficacy of few novel pesticides against it. Int J Environ Agri Biotech. 2016;9(3):451–56. https://doi.org/10.5958/Int.J.Environ.Agric.Biotech.2230-732X.2016.00058.9
  28. 26. Meena RS, Ameta OP, Meena BL. Population dynamics of sucking pests and their correlation with weather parameters in Chilli, Capsicum annum L. crop. The Bioscan. 2013;8(1):177–80.
  29. https://thebioscan.com/index.php/pub/article/view/2278
  30. 27. Neha GM, Bantewad SD, Khan SA, Anjali PS, Sourabh M. Effect of abiotic factors on seasonal incidence of sucking pests on Chilli. Biol Forum. 2023;15(10):925–28.
  31. 28. Mishra SK, Kumar V. Seasonal incidence of Chilli Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood) in relation to weather parameters. Ann Agri Sci. 2023;44(3):3559. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/AAR/article/view/146715.
  32. 29. Archunan K, Pazhanisamy M. Influence of weather parameters on population dynamics of thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis hood in Chilli. Ann Agri-Bio Res. 2021;26(2):192–97.
  33. 30. Manjunatha KL, Srinivasa N. Population dynamics of thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood as influenced by staggered planting of Chilli under Bengaluru conditions. Mysore J Agri Sci. 2017;51(2):250–58.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.