Chilli thrips oviposition behavior: a comparative study among strawberry cultivars

Florida is the second-highest producer of strawberries in the USA. Chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) have become a major pest in Florida strawberries following its establishment in the USA after 2005. Insecticide application is the leading management approach for S. dorsalis. However, this pest demonstrated the tendency to develop resistance to a broad range of active ingredients. Host-plant resistance (HPR) may contribute to the management of this pest, yet mechanisms of HPR, including antixenosis and antibiosis against S. dorsalis in strawberries, are not well studied. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the preference of S. dorsalis to select strawberry cultivars as oviposition sites that resulted in a successful egg eclosion. Seven commercial strawberry cultivars namely, "Florida Brilliance," Florida Medallion "FL 16.30-128," Sweet Sensation "Florida 127," Florida Pearl "FL 16.78-109," "Strawberry Festival," "Florida Beauty," and "Florida Radiance" were evaluated as hosts in an oviposition choice test. Greenhouse potted strawberry plants were infested with 1- to 3-d-old adult S. dorsalis females. The cultivars used as treatment were replicated five times, and the study was repeated twice. Among the seven cultivars, Florida Pearl "FL 16.78-109," "Florida Beauty," and "Strawberry Festival" had a higher number of eggs in the leaf tissue compared with other tested cultivars. However, the egg hatching percentage did not demonstrate a specific trend. The results showed that S. dorsalis has a strong oviposition preference for certain strawberry cultivars over others, and this information may be incorporated into HPR for managing S. dorsalis in strawberries.