SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS USING THE PRINCIPLES OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY

The goal of this project is to develop and implement a sustainable pest management program for the western flower thrips (WFT) on fruiting vegetable crops that is based on knowledge of the interaction between WFT and host plant communities that can be used to reduce the risk of WFT infestations of crops and reduce pesticide inputs needed for its control. Specific objectives are to:1) Identify habitats across landscapes that serve as seasonal hosts that temporally bridge WFT populations across seasons and as reservoirs for WFT dispersal to fruiting vegetable crops;2) Determine the efficacy of habitat-based preventive pest management tactics in suppressing WFT populations, including weed management and crop rotation over distance;3) Determine the regional scale prevalence of spinetoram-resistant WFT populations, and identify selective biorational pesticides for suppression of thrips;4) Integrate findings of research into a sustainable pest management program and deliver to stakeholders.