Control of peanut thrips: Effectiveness of different biological approaches
2026 - Volume: 66 Issue: Suppl pages: 277
https://doi.org/10.24349/prfx-htgr
ICA 2026 - XVII International Congress of Acarology, 20-24 July 2026, Montpellier
Keywords
Arachis hypogaea
predatory mites
Entomopathogenic nematodes
Typhlodromus transvaalensis
Steinernema rarum
Abstract
Thrips represent a major constraint to peanut production, particularly under organic and low-input systems where chemical options are limited. The study was carried out to evaluate the field performance of two predatory mites (Typhlodromus transvaalensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Acari: Laelapidae)) and the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema rarum for the control of peanut thrips (Enneothrips enigmaticus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)) in the state of São Paulo. Field experiments were conducted during two consecutive peanut growing seasons, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, at the Instituto Agronômico (IAC), Campinas, state of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Releases and applications began after crop emergence. Typhlodromus transvaalensis was released weekly at a rate of approximately 100-150 individuals m?² per application, whereas S. scimitus was released at 15-day intervals at a rate of approximately 20 individuals m?². In a combined treatment, both predatory mite species were released following the same individual application schedules described above. Steinernema rarum was applied monthly at a rate of approximately 4 × 106 infective juveniles (IJs) m?². Thrips larvae and adults (measured as the number of individuals per leaf) were monitored weekly and analysed using generalized linear mixed models. In both seasons, a significant interaction between treatment and time was detected for larvae and adults, indicating that treatment effects varied throughout the crop cycle. Biological treatments consistently reduced larval densities relative to the control, particularly during the critical infestation window between 25 and 60 days after sowing. Typhlodromus transvaalensis provided more immediate suppression, while S. scimitus exhibited density-dependent regulation under higher pest pressure. Steinernema rarum showed moderate but consistent regulation across seasons, with performance influenced by environmental conditions and application timing. Although chemical treatment resulted in rapid suppression, biological treatments maintained lower pest densities without evidence of secondary pest imbalance. These findings support the integration of biological control agents into peanut integrated pest management programs, particularly in organic systems, where ecological stability and reduced chemical dependence are priorities.
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