Context:
After a year’s gap, the dreaded black thrips infestation has surfaced in the chilli crop once again around Ballari in Karnataka.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Black thrips
Black thrips, known for their invasive nature, first appeared in India in 2015 on Papaya crops. Here are some key details about this pest:
- Destructive Feeding Habits: Black thrips inflict damage by lacerating tender leaves and flowers to consume plant tissues. This action is particularly harmful to flowers, disrupting fruit formation.
- Polyphagous Nature: These pests are not restricted to a single host; they can feed on various plant species. They are known to cause significant damage to chilli crops by inducing extensive flower shedding, stunting fruit growth, and causing fruit malformation and drop, which leads to severe yield losses.
- Broad Range of Host Plants: Beyond chilli, black thrips also affect cotton, bell peppers, red and black grams, mangoes, watermelons, and other crops. Their impact extends to ornamental plants as well.
- Widespread Distribution: Since their first detection, black thrips have been found across multiple Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
- Challenges in Control: The rise of black thrips in India is attributed to the absence of natural predators that could control their population. Additionally, the excessive use of chemical pesticides and staggered planting practices have contributed to their outbreak.
-Source: The Hindu
