https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2025.12575
0
0
0
0
Smart Citations0
0
0
0
Citing PublicationsSupportingMentioningContrasting
See how this article has been cited at scite.ai
scite shows how a scientific paper has been cited by providing the context of the citation, a classification describing whether it supports, mentions, or contrasts the cited claim, and a label indicating in which section the citation was made.
Diversity and abundance of thrips species on bananas from different ecological zones in Embu County, Kenya
Thrips are among the important pests infecting banana production systems because they have a direct effect on the banana fingers. A prerequisite to the development of any pest management strategy is the correct identification and determination of the pest species attacking crops. A field study was carried out to determine the diversity and abundance of thrips on banana plantations in Embu County, Kenya. The study was conducted in three agroecological zones, namely, Upper Highland UM1, Mid Highland UM2, and Lower Highland UM3 in two seasons in 2015. A total of 878 individual thrips belonging to two families (Thripidae, 12 species, and Phlaeothripidae, one species) were collected and identified. Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) was the most abundant species, with 392 of the total individuals recorded (species dominance = 44.65%) followed by Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) with 250 individuals (species dominance = 28.47%), while Dendrothrips sp. was the least abundant with only one individual recorded (0.11%). F. schultzei, M. sjostedti, F. occidentalis (Pergande), and Haplothrips godweyi (Franklin) were well distributed across the different zones during the two seasons. Overall species diversity was highest in the lower zone Shannon-Weiner (H’=1.654) and Simpson’s diversity index (1-D=0.740) followed by the middle zone with Hʹ=1.620 and 1-D=0.730 while the upper zone had the lowest diversity (H’=1.332) and (1-D=0.623). A high similarity of 0.8-0.82 and 0.67-0.69, according to Jaccard’s and Sørensen’s similarity index, respectively, was reported between all the sites, indicating that all the sites had the same level of similarity in the number of shared species. In conclusion, we report that bananas are infested by a wider array of thrips species than previously thought. F. schultzei and M. sjostedti are the major thrips species infesting bananas in the study area across all seasons and agroecological zones and should be the main targets for pest management interventions.
AKEMO C.M., KYAMANYWA S., SSEKYEWA C., LUTHER G.E., WILSON H., ERBAUGH M., WARREN H., 1999 - Developing IPM systems for tomato diseases and pests in central Uganda. Available from: https://worldveg.tind.io/record/31512?v=pdf.
ALABI O.Y., ODEBIYI J.A., TAMÒ M., 2004 - Effect of host plant resistance in some cowpea (Vigna unguiculata {L.} Walp.) cultivars on growth and developmental parameters of the flower bud thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom). - Crop Prot. 23: 83-88.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-2194(03)00171-6
BUSCHINI M.L.T, WOISKI T.D., 2008 – Alpha-beta diversity in trap‐nesting wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in Southern Brazil. - Act. Zool. 89: 351-358.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6395.2008.00325.x
CHILDERS C.C., 1997 - Feeding and oviposition injuries to plants. In: Lewis T., ed. Thrips as crop pests. - CAB International, Wallingford: 505-537.
DENNIL G.B., ERASMUS M.J., 1992 - The insect pests of avoca- do fruits. Increasing pest complex and changing pest status. - J. Ent. Soc. Sth. Afr. 55: 51-57.
DOBSON H., COOPER J., MANYANGARIRWA W., KARUMA J., CHIIMBA W., 2002 - Integrated vegetable pest management: safe and sustainable protection of small-scale brassicas and tomatoes, a handbook for extension staff and trainers in Zimbabwe. - NRI, Greenwich: 179 pp.
GHIDIU G.M, HITCHNER E.M, FUNDERBURK J.E., 2006 - Goldfleck damage to tomato fruit caused by feeding of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). - Florida Entomol. 89: 279-281.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/0015-4040(2006)89[279:GDTTFC]2.0.CO;2
GIKONYO M.W., NIASSY S., MORITZ G.B., KHAMIS F.M., MAGIRI E, SUBRAMANIAN, S. 2017 - Resolving the taxonomic status of Frankliniella schultzei (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) colour forms in Kenya – a morphological-, biological-, molecular- and ecological-based approach. - Int. J. Trop. Ins. Sci. 37: 57-70.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758416000126
HIGGINS C.J., 1992 - Western flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in greenhouses: population dynamics, distribution on plants, and associations with predators. - J. Econ. Entomol. 85: 1891-1903.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/85.5.1891
HUTASOIT R.T., TRIWIDODO H., AND ANWAR, R., 2019 - The abundance and diversity of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on chilli (Capsicum annum L.) and cayenne (Capsicum frutescens L.) in Bogor. - J. HPT Tropika 19: 33-41.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23960/j.hptt.11933-41
JAETZOLD R., SCHMIDT H., HORNETZ B., SHISANYA C., 2006 - Farm management handbook of Kenya, vol. II. Natural conditions and farm management information. - Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi.
KAKKAR G., SEAL D.R., KUMAR V., 2012 - Assessing abundance and distribution of an invasive thrips Frankliniella schultzei (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in South Florida. - Bull. Entomol. Res. 102: 249-259.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485311000599
KARUNGI J., ADIPALA E., OGENGA-LATIGO M.W., KYAMANYWA S., OYOBO N., 2000 - Pest management in cowpea. Part 1. Influence of planting time and plant density on cowpea field pests infestation in eastern Uganda. - Crop Prot. 19: 231-236.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-2194(00)00013-2
KEDERA C., KURIA B., 2005 - Invasive alien species in Kenya: status and management. Available from: https://www.fao.org/4/y5968e/y5968e10.htm.
KIERNAN D., 2014 - Quantitative measures of diversity, site similarity, and habitat suitability. In: Natural resources biometrics. Open Suny Textbooks, New York.
LEWIS T., 1997 - Pest thrips in perspective. In: Lewis T., ed. Thrips as crop pests. - CAB International, Wallingford: 1-14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851991788.0000
MILNE J.R., JHUMLEKHASING M., WALTER G.H., 1996 - Understanding host plant relationships of polyphagous flower thrips, a case study of Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom). In: Goodwin S., Gillespie P., eds. Proceedings of the 1995 Australia and New Zealand thrips workshop: methods, biology, ecology and management. NSW Agriculture, Gosford: 8-14.
MILNE M., WALTER G.H., 2000 - Feeding and breeding across host plants within a locality by the widespread thrips Frankliniella schultzei, and the invasive potential of polyphagous herbivores. - Divers. Distr. 6: 243-257.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1472-4642.2000.00089.x
MORITZ G., MOUND L.A., MORRIS D.C., GOLDARAZENA A., 2004 - Pest thrips of the world, visual and molecular identification of pest thrips, Cd-rom. CBIT, Brisbane.
MORITZ G., BRANDT S., TRIAPITSYN S., SUBRAMANIAN S., 2013 - Identification and information tools for pest thrips in East Africa. - QBIT, QAAFI Biological Information Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane.
MORSE J.G., HODDLE M.S., 2006 - Invasion biology of thrips. - Ann. Rev. Entomol. 51: 67-89.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.51.110104.151044
MORSELLO S.C., KENNEDY, G.G., 2009 - Spring temperature and precipitation affect tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca, population growth and tomato spotted wilt virus spread within patches of the winter annual weed Stellaria media. - Entomol. Exp. Appl. 130: 138-148.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2008.00801.x
MORSELLO S.C., BEAUDOIN A.L.P., GROVES R.L., NAULT B.A., KENNEDY G.G., 2010 - The influence of temperature and precipitation on spring dispersal of Frankliniella fusca changes as the season progresses. - Entomol. Exp. Appl. 134: 260-271.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2009.00959.x
MOUND L.A. 1999 - Saltatorial leaf-feeding Thysanoptera (Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) in Australia and New Caledonia, with newly recorded pests of ferns, figs, and mulberries. - Austr. J. Entomol. 38: 257-273.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-6055.1999.00112.x
MOUND L.A., KIBBY G. 1998 - Thysanoptera: an identification guide, (2nd edition). - CAB International, Wallingford and New York: 70 pp.
MOUND L.A., MARULLO R. 1996 - The thrips of central and south America: an introduction (Insecta: Thysanoptera). - Mem. Entomol. Int. 6: 1-487.
MOUND L.A., MATSUNAGA J.N., 2017 - The species of Haplothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) and related genera recorded from the Hawaiian Islands. - ZooKeys, 662: 79-92.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.662.12107
MURAI T., 2000 - Effect of temperature on development and reproduction of the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on pollen and honey solution. - Appl. Entomol. Zool. 35: 499-504.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1303/aez.2000.499
MUTHEE A.I., GICHIMU B.M., NTHAKANIO P.N., 2019 - Analysis of banana production practices and constraints in Embu County, Kenya. - Asian J. Agric. Rural Dev. 9: 123-132.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.1005/2019.9.1/1005.1.123.132
NGAKOU A., TAMÒ M., PARH I.A., NWAGA D., NTONIFOR N., KORIE S., NEBANE C.L.N., 2008 - Management of cowpea flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Cameroon. - Crop Prot. 27: 481-488.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2007.08.002
NYASANI J.O., MEYHÖFER R., SUBRAMANIAN S., POEHLING H.M., 2012 - Effect of intercrops on thrips species composition and population abundance on French beans in Kenya. - Entomol. Exp. Appl. 142: 236-246.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2011.01217.x
ODANGA J.J., MOHAMED S., OLUBAYO F., NYANKANGA R., OTIENO I.A., MWALUSEPO S., MWACHALA G., JOHANSSON T., 2017 - Spatial characterization of common blossom thrips (Frankliniella schultzei) in smallholder avocado orchards along slopes of Taita Hills and Mount Kilimanjaro. - Int. J. Env. Agric. Biotech. 2: 2675-2678.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22161/ijeab/2.5.50
OKWAKPAM B.A., 1967 - Three species of thrips (Thysanoptera) in cowpea flowers in the dry season at Badeggi, Nigeria. - Nigerian Entomol. Mag. 1-4: 45-46.
PALMER J.M., MOUND L.A., de HEAME G.J., 1992 - CIE guides to insects of importance to man. 2. Thysanoptera. - CABI Wallingford UK: 73.
PEARSALL I.A., MYERS J.H., 2001 - Spatial and temporal patterns of dispersal of western flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in nectarine orchards in British Columbia. - J. Econ. Entomol. 94: 831-843.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.4.831
SALIFU A. B., 1992 - Some aspects of the biology of the bean flower thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with reference to economic injury levels on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). - Rev. Zool. Afric. 106: 451-459.
SSEMWOGERERE C., OCHWO-SSEMAKULA M.K.N., KOVACH J., KYAMANYWA S., KARUNGI J., 2013 - Species Composition and Occurrence of Thrips on Tomato and Pepper as Influenced by Farmers’ Management Practices in Uganda. - J. Plant Prot. Res. 53: 158-164.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jppr-2013-0024
STACEY D.A., FELLOWES M.D.E., 2002 - Temperature and the development rates of thrips: evidence for a constraint on local adaptation? - Eur. J. Entomol. 99: 399-404.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2002.049
STEINER M.Y., GOODWIN S., 2005 - Management of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Australian strawberry crops: within‐plant distribution characteristics and action thresholds. - Austr. J. Entomol. 44: 175-185.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2005.00467.x
TAMÒ M., BAUMGÄRTNER J., DELUCCHI V., HERREN H.R., 1993. - Assessment of key factors responsible for the pest status of the bean flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in West Africa. - Bull. Entomol. Res. 83: 251-258.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S000748530003474X
WACHIRA P., KIMENJU J., KIHURANI A., MWANIKI S.W., GATHAARA, V., NDIRITU M. 2013. - Incidence of pests and diseases affecting banana in a commercial banana production setting in Kenya. - 13th Workshop on Sustainable Horticultural Production in the Tropics, 3rd - 6th December 2013, Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST).
How to Cite
Njue, N. I., Toroitich, F. J., & Kimenju, J. W. (2025). Diversity and abundance of thrips species on bananas from different ecological zones in Embu County, Kenya. Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research, 57. https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2025.12575
Copyright (c) 2025 Nicholas Ireri Njue, Faith Jebet Toroitich, John Wangai Kimenju
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.