Thrips Species Found in West Azarbaijan (Orumieh) Vineyards, and Seasonal Abundance of the Predominant Species (Rubiothrips vitis)

Abstract

Thrips species injurious to grapes are known as pests in vineyards all over the world and belong to the main pests of grapes in West Azarbaijan, Iran. In this study, thrips species occurring in West Azarbaijan vineyards were identified and the predominant species documented according to their relative abundance at different growth stages. The seasonal abundance of predominant species was investigated by means of yellow sticky trap catches and weekly sampling from vegetative and reproductive organs of vines. Five species including: Rubiothrips vitis (Priesner), Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Tenothrips discolor (Karny), Tenothrips reichardti (Priesner), and Limothrips angulicornis Jablonowski, were collected and identified. R. vitis, constituting 92 and 66 percent of the thrips population on vegetative and reproductive organs, respectively, was found to be predominant. T. tabaci was not found on vegetative organs, but it was found to constitute 32 percent of the thrips found on reproductive organs (flowers). The two species R.vitis and T. reichardti are new records for the Iranian fauna. The number of adult thrips caught by sticky traps was positively correlated with the density of the adults on vegetative (buds and leaves) and reproductive (flower) organs in the first and second generations, respectively.