Development of a sequential sampling plan for classifying Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) populations in...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Pest Management
• Quantitative Ecology

Background:

• Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) are a major global pest of onion crops, causing significant economic losses.
• Current pest management relies on inefficient fixed-sampling methods for decision-making.
• Traditional methods are suboptimal when thrips populations are very high or low.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and reliable sequential sampling plan for classifying onion thrips populations.
• To improve the efficiency of pest control decisions in commercial onion fields.
• To compare the efficacy of sequential sampling against traditional fixed-sampling approaches.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Taylor's power law and Wald's Sequential Probability Ratio Test.
• Developed and validated sampling plans using simulated and historical field data.
• Conducted field studies in 24 commercial onion fields in New York (2021-2022).

Main Results:

• The sequential sampling plan reduced sampling effort by an average of 78% compared to fixed-sampling.
• Decisions were made after inspecting 10 plants in 72% of cases.
• Achieved 96% agreement in decision-making with traditional methods while reducing sampling effort.

Conclusions:

• Sequential sampling offers a more efficient and accurate method for managing onion thrips.
• The developed plan significantly reduces the time and resources required for pest assessment.
• This approach enhances the precision of insecticide application decisions in onion production.