Latest on Chilli Thrip from the WA Rose Society
The WA Rose Society has written to the Minister for Agriculture to ask for some research to be undertaken in this area because Chilli Thrip is now affecting commercial crops.
Chilli Thrips have broad tastes and can infest a wide variety of plants. Some of the most commonly affected crops include:
Vegetables - such as eppers, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans.
Fruits - mangoes, citrus, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries.
Ornamentals - Roses, hibiscus, chrysanthemums, and gerberas.
The worst time for these pests is late spring to early autumn. They like the hot dry weather and prefer the new and succulent growth on plants - particularly roses. They hide out in the new buds and are very difficult to see with the naked eye.
While there is no magical cure, it has been discovered that Chilli Thrip do not like getting wet! A number of interested home gardeners have been experimenting throughout this summer. They have found that overhead water spraying (by hand) during the hottest parts of the day, directly onto the new growth and buds has given the best results. They also avoided cutting back during this period to avoid promoting too much new growth on plants. This method has proved successful! Simple but effective!
Commercial insecticide sprays can help manage outbreaks short term if caught early. Use systemic insecticides – granules on the dripline (watered in) and spray (with a sticker) on leaves - to kill the sucking bugs. However, insecticides will also kill any beneficial predators, thus continuing the cycle of destruction.
There is some major work being done commercially in the development of predators for Chilli Thrip (as outlined in the link below). Let's hope this works.
Komentar