2 Strawberry Varieties That Stand up Better to Chilli Thrips

New research from the University of Florida has found two strawberry varieties that show less harm from chilli thrips. The finding comes through research funded in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch program.

Over the last 20 years, chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood), has spread from Asia to Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and the northeastern U.S. Among its victims are pepper, eggplant, mango, citrus, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and more. According to UF/IFAS researchers, if chilli thrips are not managed properly, they can damage up to 60% of a farmer’s crop.

As chilli thrips expands its geographic reach, scientists seek ways to control the pest. One way is through “host plant resistance,” a plant’s ability to withstand pests and diseases or to tolerate damage from them. Host plant resistance enables strawberry producers to use less chemical spray and other pest management tools.

In recently published research, scientists studied UF/IFAS-bred strawberry varieties. The study shows ‘Florida Brilliance’ and ‘Sweet Sensation‘ exhibited less damage and higher marketable yield than five other UF/IFAS-bred cultivars over three strawberry growing seasons.

That means if growers choose to grow ‘Florida Brilliance’ and ‘Sweet Sensation’, they can use less pesticide to control the thrips, says doctoral student Lovely Adhikary.

Scientists still caution that growers must continue to use integrated pest management to control chilli thrips, particularly because the study showed several strawberry cultivars that are still highly susceptible to the pests.

For more, continue reading at blogs.ifas.ufl.edu.