Best Thrip Control Methods Proven by Experts [2023 Updated]

Often only a few millimeters long, thrips are a tiny, slender type of insect that cause significant damage to plants. Their rasping, sucking mouthparts, which they employ to consume plant sap, are what make them so distinctive. Therefore, organic thrip control is the process of preventing and managing thrip damage.

Different Types of Thrips

Identifying their species affecting your plants is important for effective thrip control, becuase different types may respond differently to treatments. Choosing the appropriate method leads to a successful outcome.

Western Flower Thrips

Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) like to eat a variety of plants, ornamental plants, fruits, and vegetables. They cause damage to the plants by piercing the leaves and sucking out the sap, leading to deformed leaves and reduced yields. They also transmit plant viruses and diseases, making them a significant threat to plant health.

Tobacco Thrips

They (Frankliniella fusca) infect tobacco plants and other plants, cotton, peanuts, and other crops. They are quite little (< 1.5 mm) and dark brown to black and known for their ability to reproduce rapidly and cause significant damage to plants. Deformities and discolouration are brought about by their feeding on plant leaves, blooms, and buds.

Onion Thrips

They (thrips tabaci) are named for their preference for feeding on onion and garlic plants as well as vegetables and ornamental flowers and cause similar damage to plants as Western flower thrips, leading to stunted growth and deformed leaves.

Greenhouse Thrips

They (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis) are little, usually less than 1.5 mm, and have a yellow-brown colour, and commonly infect greenhouse plants. They reproduce rapidly and cause significant damage to plants by feeding on their leaves, blossoms, and buds.

Thrip Control – 3 Control Methods You Should Know

Biological Control

Beauveria bassiana pet safe indoor insecticide is a natural fungus and thrips insecticide that is a biological control agent to prevent insect infestations. It is an organic insecticide and works by infecting and killing the pests. This ultimately reduces their population and prevents thrip damage to plants.

When the product is applied to plants, this organic pesticide attaches to the cuticle and penetrates their body. The fungus then grows inside the insects, causing it to become weak and eventually die. Beauveria bassiana has been shown to be effective in controlling a wide range of insect species, including Western flower and Onion thrips.

• Environmentally friendly: Beauveria bassiana is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical insecticides as well as a natural fungus that does not contain harmful chemicals, and does not leave harmful residues on plants.
• Target-specific: The thrips insecticide is specific to certain pests, and does not harm beneficial insects or other non-target organisms.
• Sustainable: As an organic thrip control method, Beauveria bassiana is sustainable and can be used in organic farming systems.
• No resistance: It does not cause the development of resistance in the target pest population.

Chemical Control

Chemical controls are a common method used for insect treatment. Here are some of the most commonly used chemical thrip control, along with their pros and cons.

Neonicotinoids: This group of insecticides works by killing insects through interfering with their nervous system. They are effective in controlling insects and have a broad spectrum of activity. Hoever, They also show disadvantagies :

•  Neonicotinoids’ potential adverse effects on non-target creatures, bees and other beneficial insects, are a source of worry.
•  Neonicotinoids may cause insect populations to become resistant if used excessively.
•  Fish and other aquatic species are extremely hazardous to some neonicotinoids.

Pyrethroids: This is a group of insecticides by interfering with their neurological systems. They have a wide range of activities and react quickly, and safe for mammals. But it also shows shortcomings:

•  Overuse of pyrethroids can lead to the development of resistance in pest populations.
•  Some pyrethroids are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms.
•  Pyrethroids can harm beneficial insects like bees and other pollinators.

Cultural Control

Culture control is a natural thrip management that involves cultural practices to prevent or minimize populations. Here are some of the most common culture control methods, along with their pros and cons, and a focus on how to get rid of thrips naturally:

Crop rotation: The insects have specific host plants, and by rotating crops, they will have less access to their preferred host plants. May not be practical in all situations and require additional planning and resources to implement.

Sanitation: This involves removing plant debris and other potential insect habitats,weeds, from the growing area. However,  it requires ongoing maintenance and attention to be effective and may not completely eliminate the populations.

Physical barriers: To prevent pests from accessing plants. Examples of physical barriers include insect netting, screens, or other types of covers. Thy are effective at preventing pests from accessing plants and can be combined with additional techniques to achieve more control. But the cons are expensive to implement and interfere with plant growth and development.

Best Practice for Preventing Thrip Effectively

While there are a variety of methods for treating thrips, one highly effective and popular option is to use the bio insecticides BEVERIA WP. These organic thrip control products contain the fungus Beauveria bassiana, which is a natural insecticide that infects and kills pests.

The BEVERIA WP product is considered one of the best methods for controlling thrips for several reasons:

• Effectiveness: Studies have shown that it controls thrips with up to 90% mortality rates.
• Safety: The thrips insecticide is an organic product that ensures the safety of people, pets, and the environment.
• Versatility: It shows effects on a wide range of crops, including vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, and more.
• Sustainability: It is a sustainable insect control method that does not harm beneficial insects, unlike some chemical insecticides.

In conclusion, the beneficial natural fungi Beauveria bassiana and the BEVERIA WP product can be used as effective biological control agents against thrips infestations. They provide safe and sustainable alternatives to chemical insecticides, making them ideal options for organic thrip control.

These natural methods pose no toxicity risks to humans, non-target organisms, or the environment. Additionally, they do not leave any harmful residue on plants. Growers can effectively protect their plants from thrip damage and promote a healthier and more sustainable growing environment.

 

Reference:

1. Shengyong Wu, Zhen He, Endong Wang, Xuenong Xu, Zhongren Lei. Application of Beauveria bassiana and Neoseiulus barkeri for improved control of Frankliniella occidentalis in greenhouse cucumber. Crop Protection,Volume 96,2017,Pages 83-87,ISSN 0261-2194.
2. Daniel P. Roberts, Laurie F. McKenna, Jeffrey S. Buyer. Consistency of control of damping-off of cucumber is improved by combining ethanol extract of Serratia marcescens with other biologically based technologies. Crop Protection,Volume 96,2017,Pages 59-67,ISSN 0261-2194.