STUDY ON OCCURRENCE AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALIS [PERGANDE] (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE) USING COLOURED TRAPS

Katarzyna Golan¹, Edyta Górska-Drabik¹, Magdalena Ćwiklińska², Joanna Samociuk¹, Grażyna Szymczak^3
1 Department of Entomology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
² Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Life Sciences in Lublin
³ Botanical Garden, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland

ABSTRACT

The paper presents the population dynamics of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and evaluates the effectiveness of two types of coloured sticky traps in monitoring the pest abundance in the cultivation of ornamental plants in greenhouse. During the study a total number of 60 014 western flower thrips (WFT) specimens had been captured. The species appeared more abundant on blue sticky traps (31 358 specimens in total) compared to yellow traps (28 656). A mean number of thrips recorded during entire study period per sticky trap was 13.85 specimens. Median for the number of WFT captured on one trap per day was 8.09 specimens for season I, and 22.88 specimens for season II. The intensity of  F. occidentalis occurrence throughout the study period was variable. When monitoring WFT occurrence in greenhouse production of ornamental plants, a special attention should be paid to thrip population size in spring (February–April) and summer (May–July).

Key words: biology, Frankliniella occidentalis, sticky traps, ornamental plants, greenhouse.

INTRODUCTION

Due to specific conditions created by greenhouses, crops grown in a such cultivation mode are particularly vulnerable to pests feeding. Phytophages attacking greenhouse plants are characterized by high fertility and short development cycle, leading to a rapid increase in the size of their population, and consequently to the need for pesticides in plant protection [Del Bene and Gargani 1990, Herron and Cook 2002].

Insects with the piercing and sucking kind of feeding apparatus are the most burdensome pests of greenhouse crops in Poland, and representatives of the order Thysanopteraare among them. Most frequently found are the banded-winged palm thrip (Parthenothrips dracaenae (Heeger) feeding on palms, fig-trees or philodendrons and the banded greenhouse thrip (Hercinothrips femoralis (Reuter) attacking ivies, maranthas or tradescantias. Most plant species grown under cover are threaten by the invasive, non-native species such as western flower thrips (WFT) (Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Tripidae). In Europe, the species was described for the first time in Holland in 1983. Three years later it was reported from Poland [Brodsgaard 1989, Kropczyńska et al. 1988, Karnkowski 1990] and by the end of the 20th century the species commonly prevailed in greenhouses throughout the country [Boczek 1998].

WFT is a polyphage  that have been found on host plants from 60 different families. The species causes considerable damage to a wide range of plants through feeding, oviposition and transmission of a serious plant disease – tomato spotted wilt tospovirus [Cloyd 2009, Morse and Hoddle 2006, van Dijken et al. 1994].

The life cycle of F. occidentalis may last 7–13 days. One WFT female is capable to lay 150–300 eggs during its lifetime [Gerin et al. 1999]. The  rapid life cycle and minute size (ca. 2 mm) impede a proper management of the pest.

Chemical pest management remains a leading method in greenhouse plants control. According to the recommendations of Good Plant Protection Practice, pest control treatments should not follow a predetermined program [Pruszyński and Wolny 2001]. However, a chemical pest management conducted in greenhouse plant production often has a reduced effectiveness which is a result of the emerging new pest biotypes, resistant to the applied preparations [Baranowski and Górski 1992, Górski and Baranowski 1993]. Chemical pest management, so commonly used in the commercial greenhouse plant production, becomes a real problem in orangeries and any other greenhouses open to the public. In such objects, alternative methods are involved and the use of coloured sticky traps cannot be underestimated. Previous studies did not state  clearly what color is the most attractive to WFT. Related investigation on the use of coloured sticky traps in monitoring of pest from family Sciaridae were studied Górska-Drabik et al. [2011].

The aim of the study was to determine the population dynamics of WFT (F. occidentalis) and evaluate the effectiveness of two types of coloured sticky traps in monitoring the pest abundance in the cultivation of ornamental plants in the greenhouse.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted in a greenhouse of University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska Botanical Garden, Lublin, in 2005–2007. The greenhouse covers ca. 700 m² and houses over 1600 plant taxons originating from tropical and subtropical climates. The studied plants were grown in a chamber of 270 m². Several dozens of exotic plant species had been selected for observations – tropical rainforest plants such as Begonia, Peperomia, Ficus, creepers (Passiflora, Aristolochia, Bougainvillea, Hoya, Philodendron, Monstera), epiphytes (Orchidea, Bromelia, Nephrolepis); Mediterranean flora representatives (Olea, Nerium, Myrtus, Laurus, Ruscus), and many useful plants originating from warmer world regions (Coffea, Musa, Vanilla, Ficus, Carica, Passiflora, Citrus, Gossypium, Punica, Piper, Phoenix, Ceratonia, Eriobotrya)

The study period was divided into two seasons: season I – from March 30, 2005 to March 28, 2006 and season II – from March 28, 2006 to March 30, 2007. Yellow and blue sticky traps, each of 10×25 cm size, were distributed randomly next to plants, depending on their height at the level of 30–50 cm above the ground. Each time five colored sticky traps (3 yellow and 2 blue) were used. During the study a total of 76 readings were carried out. The collected material was then analyzed under stereomicroscope to determine the number of caught WFT specimens. The monitoring was carried out at different intervals and involved different number of traps comparing two colors. Therefore, the comparison of the obtained results was based on the value of mean number of specimens per trap per day (24 consecutive hours) – a daily number of specimens. Values computed in such a way were then subjected to statistical analysis (Statistica 6.0), where the number of specimens caught per day on yellow or blue trap was a dependent variable affected by the same factors as temperature, humidity, control treatments. Due to the distribution nature of the analyzed variables, the nonparametric paired-sample Wilcoxon test was used to assess differences in the daily abundance of WFT in different seasons. Therefore, the variables were characterized by the median.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

During the study a total number of 60 014 WFT specimens had been captured. The species appeared more abundant on blue sticky traps (31 358 specimens in total) compared to yellow traps (28 656 specimens in total). A total number of thrips caught on blue in season I was 7598 while in season II it was 23 760. In the case of yellow sticky traps it was 8091 and 20 565, in season I and season II, respectively (Tab. 1).

Table 1. Abundance of Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande on yellow and blue sticky traps in greenhouse of Botanical Garden in Lublin (2005–2007)

Year	Number of insects individuals on two type of sticky traps
	yellow	blue	total
I season (2005/2006)	8091	7598	15 689
II season (2006/2007)	20 565	23 760	44 325
Total	28 656	31 358	60 014

According to Cloyd [2009] the number of F. occidentalis specimens registered on sticky traps may not reflect the actual size of its population. The author names several impact factors confounding or misleading sticky cards counts, including plant attractiveness, presence of flowers, placement of sticky cards, age structure of WFT population, migration of WFT into greenhouses, and crop growth stage. In our study, the observed plants were part of botanical collection, unaffected by any treatments as it is observed in the commercial greenhouse production systems. Under such conditions, WFT population recorded in season I was three times lower compared to season II. The differences in thrips abundance in both seasons were most likely caused by the applied very strong winter plant cutting, which was to reduce the number of scale insects from family Pseudococcidae. The mean number of thrips recorded during the entire study period per sticky trap was 13.85 specimens. The median for the number of thrips captured on one trap per day was 8.09 specimens for season I, and 22.88 specimens for season II (Tab. 2). According to Frey et al. [1994] and van Dijken et al. [1994], 10–40 specimens of WFT/trap/week is usually reckon the damage threshold, depending on the crop. Pizzol et al. [2010] claim that the threshold should be even lower, and not exceed 6.7 specimens/trap/week. In our study, the number of WFT captured per trap per week was higher both in season I or season II, ranging from 56 to160.

Table 2. Median of daily number of  Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande on colored  sticky traps in greenhouse of Botanical Garden in Lublin (2005–2007)

Colored sticky traps	Median of daily number
	I season	II season	Total
Yellow	6,59	19,17	9,59
Blue	9,61	38,99	19,92
Total	8,09	22,88	13,85

Based on normality plots and the results of Shapiro-Wilk test, the hypothesis of normality distribution of daily number of WFT for each season and for trap of different colour were rejected. The hypothesis on normal distribution of daily numbers of the pests caught on yellow and blue sticky traps was rejected for the analysis of the entire experimental period performed with the Wilcoxon test. Significant differences were found in daily number of the thrips caught on traps of different color (p=0.0000). The range of variation of the daily number of the caught WFT was higher for blue traps. Quartiles 0.25 and 0.75 were 6.06 and 20.35 for yellow traps and 8.09 and 44.66 for blue traps respectively, indicating higher efficiency in the case of blue traps (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Data for normality plots. Daily number of Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande

The mean daily number of the caught pest per trap recorded over the entire experiment was 9.59 specimens for yellow traps and 19.92 for blue traps (Tab. 2). The usefulness of colored sticky traps in the monitoring of thrips was evaluated by Baranowski and Górski [1991, 1992], Górski [1999], Castresana et al. [2008], Chang-Chi Chu et al. [2000], Trdan et al. [2003], Brodsgaard [1989], Cabello et al. [1991], Fiedler and Sosnowska [2002]. Thrips are monitored by using sticky traps of different colors and it remains disputable which color is found the most attractive by the insect [Brodsgaard 1989, Carrizo 2008, Castresana et al. 2008]. Based on the studies conducted by Brodsgaard [1989], it was the light shade of blue that appeared the most attractive among 20 different colors and shades tested. Tommasini and Maini [2008] also pointed at blue as the most efficient color of sticky traps used for capturing thrips in greenhouses. Chang-Chi Chu et al. [2000] corroborated the above observations noting that the blue traps and white traps were equally efficient in monitoring  thrips. On the other hand Castresana et al. (2008) argued that it is yellow rather than blue which is more efficient in capturing thrips, especially when combined with light factor in the form of 40 watt bulb.

The analysis of data recorded for season I with the use of Wilcoxon test resulted in  rejection of the hypothesis that assumed the normal distribution of daily number of the pests caught on yellow and blue traps. Significant differences in daily number of WFT caught for one trap were found both for the yellow and blue trap (p=0.000637). The range of variation of the daily number of captured pest was higher for blue traps and reached higher values (Tab. 2). Quartiles 0.25 and 0.75 were 4.29 and 9.71 for yellow traps and 6.71 and 19.63 for blue traps respectively, indicating higher efficiency in the case of blue traps (Fig. 2). Median for the number of WFT caught on yellow sticky traps during season I was 6.59 specimens (tab. 2). The insects were the least numerous in the third decade of November (0.72 specimens/trap) till the second decade of December 2005 (0.86 specimens/trap). An increase in the number of F. occidentalis was observed from the third decade of February till the end of March 2006. The maximum daily number of WFT per one trap recorded at that time was 44.14 specimens (Fig. 3). A daily mean number of specimens captured on blue sticky traps was 9.61 specimens per trap (Tab. 2). The thrip was the least numerous from the third decade of November (0.81 specimens/trap) to the second decade of December 2005 (0.67 specimens/trap) and its population peaked twice – in the second and third decade of April 2005, when the daily mean number of WFT captured per trap amounted to 77.14 and 80, respectively (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2. Distribution of average daily number of Frakliniella occidentalis (Pergande) caught on yellow and blue sticky traps during the I and II seasons (Lublin 2005–2007)

Fig. 3. Daily number of Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande caught on one trap in the season I (Lublin, 2005–2006)

Based on the analysis of the data recorded for season II with the use of Wilcoxon test, the hypothesis that assumed a normal distribution of daily number of WFT caught on yellow and blue traps was rejected. Significant differences in daily number of thrips caught per one trap were found both for the yellow and blue trap (p=0.000006). The range of variation of the daily number of captured WFT was higher for blue traps and reached higher values (Tab. 2). Quartiles 0.25 and 0.75 were 9.48 and 24.67 for yellow traps and 20.50 and 58.67 for blue traps respectively, indicating higher efficiency in the case of blue traps (Fig. 2). Median for the number of WFT caught on sticky traps during season II was 19.17 specimens for the yellow trap and 38.99 for the blue trap (Tab. 2). The thrips caught on yellow traps during season II were least abundant from the end of third decade of August to the end of third decade of October with the minimum of 2.46 specimen per trap. A short-lasting peak of F. occidentalis population was observed in the third decade of June (52.14 specimens per trap), then a gradual increase in the number of WFT was recorded at the end of the study period starting from the second decade of March, 2007 when a maximum daily number of WFT captured on yellow traps was 65.44 specimens per trap (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Daily number of Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande caught on one trap in the season II (Lublin, 2006–2007)

At the beginning of season II, blue traps showed high variability in the number of thrips captured. The pest was the least numerous from the first decade of October, 2006 (5.29 specimens per trap) till the end of the third decade of October, 2006 (2.33 specimens per trap). The number of WFT increased with the beginning of the second decade of November, 2006 and remained at a high level till the end of the study period with a maximum of 96.5 specimens per trap (Fig. 4). The study conducted by Fiedler and Sosnowska [2002] under greenhouse conditions showed two peaks in F. occidentalis population – in May/June and September, while the present study indicated different times when the pest was most abundant. The rate of population dynamics determined during the entire study period was higher compared to the pest thresholds given by Frey et al. [1994], van Dijken et al. [1994] or Pizzol et al. [2010] (Fig. 3, 4).

CONCLUSIONS

1. Blue sticky traps appeared more efficient in monitoring WFT compared to yellow sticky traps.
2. Based on the thresholds reported for WFT,the species represented a threat to the health of plants grown in greenhouses during the entire study period, even when the size of its population was lowest.
3. The intensity of  WFT occurrence throughout the study period was variable. When monitoring WFT occurrence in greenhouse production of ornamental plants, a special attention should be paid to the thrip population size in spring (February–April) and summer (May–July).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our deep gratitude to dr hab. Halina Kucharczyk (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Department of Zoology) for  help in species identification.

REFERENCES

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Accepted for print: 23.08.2013

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Katarzyna Golan
Department of Entomology,
University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
7 Leszczyńskiego, 20-060 Lublin, Poland
Phone: (+48 81) 532 30 47
email: katarzyna.golan@up.lublin.pl

Edyta Górska-Drabik
Department of Entomology,
University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
Króla Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland
email: edyta.drabik@up.lublin.pl

Magdalena Ćwiklińska
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Life Sciences in Lublin
Akademicka 13
20-950 Lublin
Poland

Joanna Samociuk
Department of Entomology,
University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland
7 Leszczyńskiego
20-060 Lublin
Poland

Grażyna Szymczak
Botanical Garden, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland
Sławinkowska 3
20-810 Lublin
Poland

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