Thrips species associated with medicinal and aromatic plants in Adana (Turkey) with first record of Bregmatothrips bournieri Pelikan, 1988 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Abstract

Medicinal and aromatic plants are used primarily in the medicine, food and cosmetic industries. Thrips are pests which feed on medicinal and aromatic plants, reducing the yield and commercial value of these crops. This study aimed to determine thrips species on medicinal and aromatic plants, and to contribute new species and hosts in Adana Province (Turkey). Thrips were collected by shaking of vegetative and generative plant parts on medicinal and aromatic plants. Samples were collected from 80 plant species belonging to 33 families in 2017 and 2018. A total of 32 thrips species belonging to four families; Thripidae (20 species), Aeolothripidae (5 species), Melanthripidae (2 species) and Phlaeothripidae (5 species) were identified. The most common and abundant species (with the number of samples and specimens found) were Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande, 1895) (120 and 1379), Thrips tabaci Lindeman, 1889 (73 and 507) and Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan, 1913) (42 and 503). Of the predatory thrips, Aeolothrips collaris Priesner, 1919 (48 and 144), was the most prevalent one. Most of the thrips species were obtained from plants of Lamiaceae (25 species) and Asteraceae families (15 species). Bregmatothrips bournieri Pelikan, 1988 collected on Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (Poaceae) and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (Lamiaceae) is a newly recorded species for fauna of Turkey.