Alternative strategies to control New Zealand flower thrips on nectarines

Abstract

Experiments conducted in both spring and preharvest (summer) aimed to prevent damage to nectarines caused by New Zealand flower thrips Thrips obscuratus and to minimise quarantine problems caused by thrips on export fruit Reflective mulch and three insecticide programmes were compared with the standard taufluvalinate/chlorpyrifos programme in spring Abamectin spinosad and Pyrethrum Plus reduced spring damage but none was more effective than the existing standard At harvest time carbaryl and spinosad plus Nufilm17 reduced thrips numbers 3 days after treatment but carbaryl was the only effective insecticide after 5 days Reflective mulch reduced thrips numbers in spring and preharvest providing a nonchemical alternative for thrips control However supplementary control measures would be needed for this treatment to meet quarantine standards at harvest time Alternative spring and preharvest programmes for both Integrated Fruit Production and organic systems are suggested for nectarines but registration is necessary before some insecticides can be used on summerfruit