Cultural practices to decrease thrips densities in cotton and peanut production system

Thrips are economically important pests of seedling cotton and peanut in the southeastern US. Feeding damage to seedling cotton causes leaf curling, stunted growth, and reduced plant stand. Thrips can transmit tomato spotted wilt virus to peanut, which can reduce pod yield and quality. The objective of this research was to explore methods for disrupting thrips host finding behaviors with the goal of reducing colonization.  Field trials were conducted in cotton and peanut utilizing different tillage practices and reflective particle films. In cotton, particle films had no significant effect on thrips densities, plant height, stand count, maturity, or plant biomass  Fewer adult and immature thrips were observed in cotton that was stripped into rolled and standing rye compared to conventional tillage, but reduced plant stand, maturity, and biomass, and only significantly differed from one another with regards to the first week immature counts. The use of neonicotinoid seed treatments reduced adult thrips during the first week of sampling and immature thrips during the first two weeks. Peanut response variables will include thrips counts, plant stand, and tomato spotted wilt virus ratings.