Integrated Strategies for Controlling Flower-Thrips in Southern Highbush Blueberries

Project description and objectives:

Florida and southern Georgia are the only producers of early-season blueberries (April - May) in the United States, receiving up to five times the revenue acquired by growers from northern states that produce blueberries during the regular season (June - August). In Florida, flower thrips in the genus Frankliniella is a major pest of southern highbush blueberries. In 2003, USDA reported that 40% of the losses in blueberries in southern states were attributed to flower thrips. Despite their importance, information on management and biology of flower thrips in early-season blueberries is limited. Our ultimate goal is to study the biology and investigate tactics to reduce or eliminate the use of traditional insecticides for management of flower thrips in blueberries. Specifically, we will investigate the population dynamics of thrips in southern highbush blueberry cultivars.

Project activities:

To accomplish our goals we have put together a group of growers and scientists that have experience in managing blueberries in Florida. These institutions include the Florida Blueberry Growers Association (primary stakeholder) and three of the main blueberry growers in the state that will allow us to use their farms for research and extension activities. With the collaboration of these groups we anticipate the collection of new information, which will help growers to be more productive, efficient, safe, and more environmentally friendly in managing their blueberry productions.

Project accomplishments:

For additional information on this project, click on these links:

• EDIS document produced as a result of this project
• PowerPoint presentation 1 (9MB PowerPoint)
• PowerPoint presentation 2 (5MB PowerPoint)

 

Project leaders:

Dr. Oscar Liburd, Associate Professor, Entomology
Jay Cee Turner, Biological Scientist, Entomology
Dr. Paul Lyrene, Professor, Horticultural Sciences

For more information on IPM of Fruits and Vegetables: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/liburd/fruitnvegipm/

• Thrips Management In Specific Crops