Transient composition of the thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting mulberry in southern India: first report of two, including the dominating invasive pest Thrips parvispinus

Transient composition of the thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting mulberry in southern India: first report of two, including the dominating invasive pest Thrips parvispinus | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Transient composition of the thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting mulberry in southern India: first report of two, including the dominating invasive pest Thrips parvispinus Prakya Sreerama Kumar, Rajan Remani Rachana, Bellapu Amarendra, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Alerted by the steady upsurge of thrips infestation that led to drastic leaf-yield losses in mulberry, we investigated the composition of thrips species damaging the crop in the south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2023. The five species recorded included three previously recognized mulberry pests — Bathrips melanicornis , Pseudodendrothrips darci and Scirtothrips dorsalis — and two newly encountered pests, viz. Thrips palmi and T. parvispinus . At Handenahalli village in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru urban district in Karnataka, where multiple thrips species simultaneously infested mulberry, the typical downward curling of leaves was ascribed to T. parvispinus . This was in contrast to the upward curling caused by the sole infestation of P. darci , the most common species infesting mulberry across the three states. Diagnostic characters of all the reported species are presented here along with the identification keys and photomicrographs. Thrips parvispinus as a new pest of mulberry warrants special attention given the economic loss caused by this highly polyphagous invasive species in chilli in southern India during the latter half of 2021. Its presence in the transient composition of mulberry-infesting thrips species points to a likely displacement of P. darci in the future with serious repercussions for the moriculture and sericulture sectors. Invasive thrips moriculture mulberry new host sericulture Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Introduction Mulberry ( Morus alba L.), an economically important deciduous, woody perennial plant in the family Moraceae, has its origin in the Himalayan foothills of India and China (Vijayan 2010 ; Khan et al. 2013; Yuan and Zhao 2017 ; Rohela et al. 2020 ). It is now globally distributed owing to its superior adaptability to diversified climatic and soil conditions (Ercisli and Orhan 2007 ; Khan et al. 2013; Sarkar et al. 2017 ), besides its commercial worth in food, feed, medicines, cosmetics and beverages (Rohela et al., 2020 ). Historically, however, mulberry leaf has been valued as the principal feed of the silkworm ( Bombyx mori L.) (Vijayan et al. 2004 ). Around 300 sap-sucking and defoliating insect and non-insect pests are known to attack mulberry (Anusha and Bhaskar 2015 ). In the last few years, mulberry cultivation or moriculture in southern India has been enduring infestation by the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks), on the one hand (Sreerama Kumar and Varshney 2021), and thrips on the other (Sreerama Kumar and Maruthi Mehanth 2022 ). Thrips are one of the most notorious sucking pests that directly affect mulberry production by lacerating leaf tissues and sucking the cell sap. Both adults and larvae can extract the contents, leading not only to morphoanatomical changes but also to reduced nutritive value of leaves (Etebari and Bizhannia 2006 ). As in other parts of the world, Pseudodendrothrips mori (Niwa) was reported to be the most dominant thrips species infesting mulberry in India (Etebari et al. 2004 ). Tyagi and Kumar ( 2011 ) reported a new pest thrips species, Pseudodendrothrips bhattii Kudo, in mulberry in the state of Karnataka. However, Rachana et al. ( 2022a ) concluded that the record of P. bhattii was a misidentification of Pseudodendrothrips darci (Girault) and hence, should be excluded from the thrips fauna of the country. Despite the lack of intensive taxonomic studies to delineate the thrips species infesting mulberry in India, a few earlier studies reported the following species: Aelothrips intermedius Bagnall, Bathrips melanicornis (Shumsher), Haplothrips tenuipennis Bagnall, Megalurothrips distalis (Karny), P. bhattii, P. mori and Pseudodendrothrips ornatissimus (Schmutz) (Bhattacharya et al. 1993 ; Lalitha et al. 2018 ; Mahimasanthi et al. 2022). However, a majority of studies reviewed from different fields of pest management, viz. pesticide evaluation, population dynamics and genotype screening studies, presumed P. mori as the only prevalent species in the mulberry ecosystem of India. It could be speculated that the thrips species in the previous studies were incorrectly identified as a single species rather than a complex. Or, possibly, the thrips population in the mulberry ecosystem has changed from a single species to a diverse complex, and the reason for this change in species composition has not been well understood. Accurate identification of a pest species is the primary and fundamental step to developing effective management strategies (Nguyen et al. 2019 ), determination of the economic threshold level (Prasannakumar et al. 2020 ), endosymbiotic relationships (Kumm and Moritz 2008 ; Tyagi et al. 2022 ) and insecticide resistance monitoring (Bielza et al. 2007 ). Careful monitoring of different pest species in a crop allows researchers to understand even a subtle shift in the pest species complex, particularly for invasive alien pests such as certain thrips, which are transported long distances naturally or through inadvertent human assistance (Morse and Hoddle 2006 ). The reported presence of two exotic thrips species, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Tyagi and Kumar 2015 ) and Thrips parvispinus (Karny) (Tyagi et al. 2015 ), in India over the last decade demands special attention because both are potentially damaging plant pests with a broad host range, with the former being an established vector of the tomato spotted wilt virus (Rachana et al. 2022b ). Recently, in the state of Telangana, chilli ( Capsicum annuum L.) farmers mistook the outbreak of T. parvispinus for an infestation of mites and sprayed the wrong pesticides, which led to a thrips flare-up that caused about 80 per cent yield loss (Janyala 2021 ). Thus, failure to rapidly and accurately identify the nascent populations of an economically significant pest species can have far-reaching consequences, particularly from the biosafety and management points of view (Armstrong and Ball 2005 ; Venette and Hutchison 2021 ). The purposes of this article are to investigate and document the composition of thrips species infesting mulberry, to point out the risk involved if T. parvispinus predominates the mulberry ecosystem, and to illustrate the important diagnostic characters of the species collected on that host. Field collection, rearing, mounting and identification of thrips specimens From January 2017 to June 2023, around 400 thrips specimens collected on mulberry (cv. Victory-1) in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in India were examined (Table 1 ). Table 1 Collection details and composition of different thrips species infesting mulberry in three south Indian states State Collection date Collection place and district Thrips species Composition (%) Andhra Pradesh 27 January 2017 Akkagaladevarahalli, Anantapur Pseudodendrothrips darci 100.0 3 September 2019 Ellapalle, Chittoor P. darci 100.0 Karnataka 5 February 2017 Chintamani, Chikkaballapur Bathrips melanocornis 27.3 P. darci 63.6 Thrips palmi 9.1 13 October 2017 Hagalahalli, Ramanagara B. melanocornis 25.0 P. darci 75.0 21 February 2018 Chintamani, Chikkaballapur B. melanocornis 23.5 P. darci 58.8 T. palmi 17.7 2 June 2018 Peresandra, Chikkaballapur P. darci 100.0 21 January 2019 Malur, Kolar B. melanocornis 40.0 P. darci 60.0 1 May 2019 Kanakapura, Ramanagara B. melanocornis 23.8 P. darci 76.2 28 December 2020 Chintamani, Chikkaballapur P. darci 100.0 4 March 2022 Mattur, Raichur P. darci 100.0 18 March 2022 Mattur, Raichur P. darci 100.0 7 April 2022 Mattur, Raichur P. darci 100.0 3 September 2022 Mattur, Raichur P. darci 100.0 13 February 2023 Handenahalli, Bengaluru Urban Scirtothrips dorsalis 33.3 T. palmi 33.3 Thrips parvispinus 33.3 27 February 2023 Handenahalli, Bengaluru Urban B. melanocornis 20.0 T. palmi 25.0 T. parvispinus 55.0 10 March 2023 Handenahalli, Bengaluru Urban P. darci 10.0 T. palmi 20.0 T. parvispinus 70.0 8 June 2023 Magadi, Ramanagara P. darci 100.0 Tamil Nadu 13 June 2019 Bhavani, Erode B. melanocornis 37.5 P. darci 62.5 17 October 2021 Bhavani, Erode P. darci 100.0 20 February 2023 Periyakulam, Theni P. darci 100.0 Terminal portions of branches with leaves exhibiting various tissue responses generally associated with thrips infestation, including puckering, crinkling, twisting, curling, malformation and discoloration (Figs. 1 – 4 ) were sampled to identify the causative thrips species. Variations in symptoms due to attack by an individual thrips species or a combination of thrips species were also distinguished. Infested leaves were gently tapped on a white plastic tray to collect adult thrips on the spot. In addition, whenever infestation of multiple species was suspected, mulberry twigs harboring thrips immatures and eggs were held in transparent polypropylene bags (HiDispo Bag™ − 14, size 14” × 20”, HiMedia Laboratories Private Limited, Mumbai, India) (Fig. 5 ) in the laboratory until adult emergence. Adult thrips were preserved in vials containing AGA medium (9 parts of 10% ethyl alcohol; 1 part of glacial acetic acid; 1 ml of Triton X-100 in 1,000 ml of the mixture) for further processing. Towards species identification, the specimens from the preservative medium were first immersed in 2% NaOH for 30 min, then transferred to 60% ethyl alcohol to remain for 24 h, and finally dehydrated through a series of 70–100% ethyl alcohol washes. After clearing in clove oil for 5–10 min, the specimens were individually mounted in Canada balsam on microscope slides, which were eventually dried at 45°C for 30 min in an oven. The slides were observed under a Nikon Eclipse 80i microscope (4× and 10×) and photomicrographs of taxonomically important characters of the mounted species were captured with a Nikon DS-Vi1 camera attached to this microscope. Figures 1 – 4 and Figs. 6 –11 were collaged on Adobe Express ( https://www.adobe.com/express/ ) and with Adobe Photoshop CS2 software, respectively. Whenever multiple species emerged from the same sample, they were separately counted to arrive at the proportion of each species. The specimens were identified to species level using the keys furnished by Chakraborty et al. ( 2019 ), Mound and Masumoto ( 2005 ) and Masumoto and Okajima ( 2017 ). Voucher specimens were deposited in the National Insect Museum at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (ICAR–NBAIR) in Bengaluru, India. Thrips species composition Taxonomic investigations led to the identification of five thrips species (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia), viz. B. melanicornis , P. darci , Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, Thrips palmi Karny and T. parvispinus that damaged mulberry. Whereas P. darci belongs to the subfamily Dendrothripinae, the other four are in the subfamily Thripinae, all within the family Thripidae. Damage symptoms Thrips-infested leaves exhibited various tissue responses, such as puckering, crinkling, wrinkling, twisting, curling, wrinkling, malformation, discoloration, blackening, premature drying and necrosis (Figs. 1 – 4 ). Direct damage to the leaves and indirect damage to the plants occurred due to sucking of sap from the abaxial side of leaves by both larvae and adults of thrips. At Handenahalli village in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru urban district in Karnataka, where multiple thrips infested the same plant in a mulberry plantation (12.818170, 77.775416), the affected leaves exhibited necrotic blotches (Fig. 1 A) and eventually dried prematurely (Fig. 1 C). The affected leaves showed typical downward curling (Fig. 1 B), which was in contrast to the upward curling caused by sole infestation of P. darci . Multiple thrips also caused distortion of terminal portion of branches (Fig. 2 A). Leaf puckering, with blackening of adaxial side (Fig. 3 A) and furrows on abaxial side (Fig. 3 B), was commonly observed. Although the symptoms such as downward curling could not be specifically linked to a particular species of thrips, the consistent and dominating presence of T. parvispinus in the thrips complex associated with the symptoms points towards its role in causing such damage. The other symptoms observed at Handenahalli included stunting of the apical portion of the branches along with internode shortening. On the other hand, close observations of P. darci -induced symptoms in mulberry indicated the manifestation of well-known symptoms. The affected leaves showed streaks during early infestation and exhibited brownish patches in the advanced stage. Numerous such patches on the undersurface of leaves gave a mottled appearance, while the corresponding uppersurface was pale yellowish. Severe infestation led to cupping and upward curling of leaves, which eventually dried up prematurely. Mahimasanthi et al . (2022) observed deformation of new growth when thrips fed on the apical tissues, and reported that early infestation caused silvery streaks on leaves, and as the infestation advanced, the streaks turned into blotches, leaf edges became yellowish brown and the leaves curled upwards. Diagnostic characters of the thrips species Bathrips melanicornis (Fig. 6 ) Diagnosis: Body and legs yellow. Light brown shades in ocellar triangle and on median abdominal tergites II–VIII; antennae and fore wing brown. Eight segmented antennae. Head with interocellar setae pair longer than side of ocellar triangle and placed within hind ocelli. Metanotum medially with faint reticulations, median setae located behind anterior margin; without campaniform sensilla. First vein of forewing with 5 basal and 3 distal setae, second vein with 4–5 setae. Posteromarginal comb absent on abdominal tergite VIII. Discal setae absent on abdominal sternites. Pseudodendrothrips darci (Fig. 7 ) Diagnosis: Body white, interocular area, one-third lateral pronotum, lateral mesonotum, median third of fore tibia brown; forewing grey. Antennae 8 segmented. Pronotum with narrow transverse reticulations, transverse internal apodeme interrupted at the middle. Metanotum has closely spaced longitudinal striae; median pair of setae small and close together. First vein of forewing with two widely spaced setae distally, second veinal setae absent. Abdominal tergite VIII with complete postero-marginal comb; IX having 3 rows of long and stout microtrichia in posterior half; X without longitudinal split. Scirtothrips dorsalis (Fig. 8 ) Diagnosis: Body yellow having median brown shades on abdominal tergites III–VII, with dark antecostal ridges on abdominal tergites and sternites. Head with interocellar setae pair arise between hind ocelli, well behind tangent between their anterior margins. Pronotum with closely placed striations, posteromarginal setae S2 longer than S1. Median setae pair on metanotum placed well behind anterior margin. Second vein of forewing with 2 setae. Lateral tergal microtrichial fields on abdomen with 3 discal setae; tergite VIII with complete posteromarginal comb. Abdominal sternites with microtrichia extending across median area but limited to posterior half. Thrips palmi (Fig. 9 ) Diagnosis: Yellow body; antennal segments IV and V with brown apices, VI and VII brown; fore wing clear. Antennae 7 segmented. Metanotum having irregular longitudinal lines converging posteriorly, with anterior transverse lines; median pair of setae placed well behind anterior margin, with campaniform sensilla. First vein of fore wing with 3 setae distally. Abdominal tergite VIII with posteromarginal comb complete. Abdominal sternites devoid of discal setae. Thrips parvispinus (Fig. 10 ) Diagnosis: Body brown; forewing brown with base pale; legs yellow. Interocellar setae pair small and placed on anterior margins of ocellar triangle. Seven segmented antennae. Metanotum reticulate medially; median setae situated behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent. Forewing first and second veins with regular rows of setae. Posteromarginal comb on abdominal tergite VIII absent, a few microtrichia present laterally. Discal setae absent on abdominal sternites II and VII, III–VI with about 6–12 discal setae arranged irregularly. Diagnostic key to the reported species 1. Antennae with 8 segments (Fig. 6C) ............................................................................................................................................ 2 - Antennae with 7 segments (Fig. 9F) …………………………………………………………………………………………...... 4 2. Hind tarsi more than 0.5 times longer than hind tibia (Fig. 7A)…………………………………………………………...…….………………. P. darci - Hind tarsi less than 0.3 times longer than hind tibia…………………………….………………………………………………..………… 3 3. Lateral abdominal tergites with closely spaced fine microtrichial rows (Fig. 8G)……………………………………………………………………...……..… S. dorsalis - Lateral abdominal tergites without closely spaced fine microtrichial rows …………………………………………………...……………….. B. melanicornis 4. Abdominal sternites without discal setae; tergite VIII with complete posteromarginal comb (Fig. 9I); metanotum striate longitudinally (Fig. 9E)…………………………………………………………………..…….......... T. palmi - Abdominal sternites with discal setae; tergite VIII without complete posteromarginal comb (Fig. 10G); metanotum reticulate (Fig. 10F) ……………….………...……………………………………….................... T. parvispinus The composition of thrips species infesting mulberry in India is poorly known since the majority of studies presumed P. mori as the only prevalent species in this crop. The major objective of our study, therefore, was to understand the species diversity over the years. We recorded T. palmi and T. parvispinus as pests of mulberry for the first time. CABI’s ( 2023b & c ) lists do not have mulberry as the host of these two thrips species anywhere in the world. The only member of the family Moraceae listed as a host of T. palmi is Ficus racemosa L. (Tyagi and Vikas 2014), while no species from the family is given as a host of T. parvispinus . As for S. dorsalis , Morus (mulberry tree) is listed as the main host without reference along with Morus australis Poir. (CABI 2023a ). In hindsight, the thrips incidence could have been conveniently divided into two phases: preinvasion of T. parvispinus in chilli, i.e. before 2021 (Rachana et al. 2022b ) and post this invasion. By and large, P. darci was the most common species infesting mulberry across the three states (Table 1 ). While in Andhra Pradesh it was the only thrips species, in Tamil Nadu, B. melanocornis was also found attacking mulberry. Karnataka, however, had all five thrips species, including the newly recorded T. palmi and T. parvispinus . Although T. parvispinus was not widespread, its dominance at Handenahalli in Karnataka needs to be viewed seriously as it has the potential to spread and cause huge economic loss to mulberry cultivation, and hence can indirectly affect the sericulture sector. From being just 33.3 per cent in the beginning, it increased its share to 70.0 per cent in the composition in about a month (Table 1 ), which was a matter of concern. Being a highly polyphagous species, T. parvispinus , if left uncontrolled, could also spread to other susceptible crops with mulberry acting as a perennial source of this pest. Although the reasons for the shift and expansion in species composition are unknown as yet, the newly recorded thrips species must have exhibited higher population growth rates by exploiting the abundant food resource (Morse and Hoddle 2006 ) in the form of mulberry, which incidentally, receives scarce pesticide treatment. The presence of T. parvispinus in the transient composition of mulberry-infesting thrips species points to a likely displacement of P. darci in the future with serious repercussions for the moriculture and sericulture sectors. Our study exhorts the mulberry stakeholders to consider thrips infestation as a species complex rather than a single species in most cases. The comprehensive photomicrographs of diagnostic characters of the five thrips species presented here would be beneficial to students and researchers for the authentic identification of these pests. Declarations Acknowledgments We thank all the farmers who were kind enough to allow sampling in their mulberry crop. We also thank S. Pandian for assistance with collection, rearing and separation of thrips species. 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Morphological and DNA barcoding evidence for invasive pest thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Thripidae: Thysanoptera), newly recorded from India. Journal of Insect Science. 15 (1): 105: 1–4. Venette, R. C., and Hutchison, W. D. 2021. Invasive insect apecies: global challenges, strategies & opportunities. Frontiers in Insect Science. 1: 650520. Vijayan, K. 2010. The emerging role of genomic tools in mulberry ( Morus ) genetic improvement. Tree Genetics & Genomes. 6: 613–625. Vijayan, K., S. P. Chakraborti, and P. D. Ghosh. 2004. Screening of mulberry ( Morus spp.) for salinity tolerance through in vitro seed germination. Indian Journal of Biotechnology. 3: 47–51. Yuan, Q., and L. Zhao. 2017. The mulberry ( Morus alba L.) fruit—A review of characteristic components and health benefits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 65: 10383−10394. Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3930099","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":271052499,"identity":"e6341ad4-6bb7-4ac9-bda5-3ff84301d4be","order_by":0,"name":"Prakya Sreerama Kumar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Prakya","middleName":"Sreerama","lastName":"Kumar","suffix":""},{"id":271052500,"identity":"79a04d80-d988-45ca-8e5d-b6db0237c2d7","order_by":1,"name":"Rajan Remani Rachana","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBCDBCBmfAAkePhI0cJsANLCRooWNgkQi6AWg+NnDD9X1Njl8c9uflb5NcdOho2B+eGjG/i0nMkxljxzLLlY4s4xs9uy25KBDmMzNs7Bo0WyIS1BsoHtQGLDjQSz25LbmIFaeNik8Wrpf5b8s+HfgcT5N9K/FUtuqyeshV8i+ZhkY9uBxA03cswYP247TIyWx8csG/uSEzfeyCmWZtx2nIeNmYBf2PgTm282fLNLnHcjfePHn9uq7fnZmx8+xqcFBTDzgElilYMA4w9SVI+CUTAKRsGIAQCWd0hqGQcrxgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rajan","middleName":"Remani","lastName":"Rachana","suffix":""},{"id":271052501,"identity":"92bd37f0-c552-45ee-b3d4-6b98fe373d85","order_by":2,"name":"Bellapu Amarendra","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bellapu","middleName":"","lastName":"Amarendra","suffix":""},{"id":271052502,"identity":"e113cefb-50b6-458d-9bb6-cdb971b7cf9c","order_by":3,"name":"Nanjundaiah Sheela","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nanjundaiah","middleName":"","lastName":"Sheela","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-02-05 05:56:42","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":50744908,"identity":"a956a815-9a1a-417a-84e1-7a1141f84056","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2957539,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eField symptoms of damage in mulberry leaves due to infestation by multiple thrips species, predominantly \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus. \u003c/em\u003eIndividual arrows indicate necrotic blotches (A), downward curling (B) and premature drying (C).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure1MulberrythripsforJIPM2.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/eddd826d42ae7deaaebe0667.jpg"},{"id":50744905,"identity":"40fe0122-847d-40e9-b9de-edc141278eda","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4558066,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eShortened terminal portion of mulberry branch with distorted leaves due to infestation by multiple thrips species, predominantly \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (A). Healthy (\u003cem\u003eleft\u003c/em\u003e) and damaged (\u003cem\u003eright\u003c/em\u003e) leaves juxtaposed (B)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure2MulberrythripsforJIPM1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/aa6449967e24f7624656ff6d.jpg"},{"id":50745802,"identity":"12dd851a-8cce-497b-a4be-088e40ff282b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 17:04:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":6806055,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eClose-up of puckering caused by multiple thrips species, predominantly \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e, in mulberry leaf. Also evident are blackening on adaxial side (A) and furrows on abaxial side (B)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure3MulberrythripsforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/3682c2f8b5c8b0a80f575138.jpg"},{"id":50744906,"identity":"8e119c14-45f6-4faa-adce-cb83342160b0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2883799,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eField symptoms of damage in mulberry leaves due to infestation by \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e. Arrow indicates upward curling and cupping of an individual leaf (A). Close-up of brownish blotches on adaxial side of leaf with an arrow indicating a large blotch (B)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure4MulberrythripsforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/d337d3a0dc13f7aa8487ed01.jpg"},{"id":50744915,"identity":"6ddf0ae0-fac7-45d8-8739-75fdd1c03911","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:05","extension":"jpg","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":8080102,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRearing of immature thrips to obtain adults\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure5MulberrythripsforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/c8ea7639ee10f5ea1d71d615.jpg"},{"id":50745149,"identity":"0dad254d-ad6d-41e5-a3df-5b2111fa93ed","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:56:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":5181973,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBathrips melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e. Female (A). Male (B). Antenna (C). Head (D). Pronotum (E); Metanotum (F). Mesonotum (G). Female abdominal tergite I (H). Forewing (I). Female abdominal tergites IX–X (J). Female abdominal tergite VIII (K). Male abdominal tergites IX–X (L)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure6BathripsmelaniconisforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/6eafff727430e7f522cb5bd7.jpg"},{"id":50744912,"identity":"b7ed2804-c8b8-4e9c-8fb9-ff2393c30b60","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":3960447,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e. Female (A). Antenna (B). Head (C). Meso and metanota (D). Pronotum (E). Forewing (F)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure7PseudodendrothripsdarciforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/9a8160a563a8a736ecbc0dac.jpg"},{"id":50745147,"identity":"cac64d31-fb39-4f59-8fdd-32460fed35d0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:56:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":3873201,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis.\u003c/em\u003eFemale (A). Male (B). Female abdominal tergites IX–X (C). Metanotum (D). Head (E). Pronotum (F). Female abdominal tergite VII (G). Forewing (H). Antenna (I). Male abdominal tergites IX–X (J). Mesonotum (K). Female abdominal tergite VIII (L).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure8ScirtothripsdorsalisforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/695b9b7ec2343543005443c3.jpg"},{"id":50744914,"identity":"ec33b18b-24f7-4db8-84c6-dc3dd554d0e2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:05","extension":"jpg","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":5422733,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips palmi.\u003c/em\u003eFemale (A). Male (B). Head (C). Pore glands on abdominal sternites III–VII (D). Meso and metanota (E). Antenna (F). Male abdominal tergites IX–X (G). Female abdominal tergites IX–X (H). Female abdominal tergite VIII (I). Forewing (J). Pronotum (K).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure9ThripspalmiforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/3b4d3eaea1aceea99a4a789b.jpg"},{"id":50744910,"identity":"f39c3975-facc-407b-920b-6c5d673dc24d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 16:48:04","extension":"jpg","order_by":10,"title":"Figure 10","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4452036,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus.\u003c/em\u003e Female (A). Male (B). Antenna (C). Pronotum (D). Head (E). Metanotum (F). Female abdominal tergite VIII (G). Mesonotum (H). Forewing (I).\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure10ThripsparvispinusforJIPM.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/08a83e5a3d02016b58016faf.jpg"},{"id":50747535,"identity":"db8c6ea9-2db7-4efb-b6f1-274aea87679a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-02-06 17:12:40","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1939960,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3930099/v1/b7b60493-6805-415d-8c7b-4c327ef09e21.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTransient composition of the thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting mulberry in southern India: first report of two, including the dominating invasive pest \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eMulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus alba\u003c/em\u003e L.), an economically important deciduous, woody perennial plant in the family Moraceae, has its origin in the Himalayan foothills of India and China (Vijayan \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Khan et al. 2013; Yuan and Zhao \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Rohela et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). It is now globally distributed owing to its superior adaptability to diversified climatic and soil conditions (Ercisli and Orhan \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e; Khan et al. 2013; Sarkar et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), besides its commercial worth in food, feed, medicines, cosmetics and beverages (Rohela et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Historically, however, mulberry leaf has been valued as the principal feed of the silkworm (\u003cem\u003eBombyx mori\u003c/em\u003e L.) (Vijayan et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAround 300 sap-sucking and defoliating insect and non-insect pests are known to attack mulberry (Anusha and Bhaskar \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). In the last few years, mulberry cultivation or moriculture in southern India has been enduring infestation by the broad mite, \u003cem\u003ePolyphagotarsonemus latus\u003c/em\u003e (Banks), on the one hand (Sreerama Kumar and Varshney 2021), and thrips on the other (Sreerama Kumar and Maruthi Mehanth \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Thrips are one of the most notorious sucking pests that directly affect mulberry production by lacerating leaf tissues and sucking the cell sap. Both adults and larvae can extract the contents, leading not only to morphoanatomical changes but also to reduced nutritive value of leaves (Etebari and Bizhannia \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). As in other parts of the world, \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips mori\u003c/em\u003e (Niwa) was reported to be the most dominant thrips species infesting mulberry in India (Etebari et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Tyagi and Kumar (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) reported a new pest thrips species, \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips bhattii\u003c/em\u003e Kudo, in mulberry in the state of Karnataka. However, Rachana et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022a\u003c/span\u003e) concluded that the record of \u003cem\u003eP. bhattii\u003c/em\u003e was a misidentification of \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e (Girault) and hence, should be excluded from the thrips fauna of the country. Despite the lack of intensive taxonomic studies to delineate the thrips species infesting mulberry in India, a few earlier studies reported the following species: \u003cem\u003eAelothrips intermedius\u003c/em\u003e Bagnall, \u003cem\u003eBathrips melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e (Shumsher), \u003cem\u003eHaplothrips tenuipennis\u003c/em\u003e Bagnall, \u003cem\u003eMegalurothrips distalis\u003c/em\u003e (Karny), \u003cem\u003eP. bhattii, P. mori\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips ornatissimus\u003c/em\u003e (Schmutz) (Bhattacharya et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e; Lalitha et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Mahimasanthi et al. 2022). However, a majority of studies reviewed from different fields of pest management, viz. pesticide evaluation, population dynamics and genotype screening studies, presumed \u003cem\u003eP. mori\u003c/em\u003e as the only prevalent species in the mulberry ecosystem of India. It could be speculated that the thrips species in the previous studies were incorrectly identified as a single species rather than a complex. Or, possibly, the thrips population in the mulberry ecosystem has changed from a single species to a diverse complex, and the reason for this change in species composition has not been well understood.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccurate identification of a pest species is the primary and fundamental step to developing effective management strategies (Nguyen et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), determination of the economic threshold level (Prasannakumar et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), endosymbiotic relationships (Kumm and Moritz \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e; Tyagi et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) and insecticide resistance monitoring (Bielza et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). Careful monitoring of different pest species in a crop allows researchers to understand even a subtle shift in the pest species complex, particularly for invasive alien pests such as certain thrips, which are transported long distances naturally or through inadvertent human assistance (Morse and Hoddle \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). The reported presence of two exotic thrips species, \u003cem\u003eFrankliniella occidentalis\u003c/em\u003e (Pergande) (Tyagi and Kumar \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) and \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (Karny) (Tyagi et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), in India over the last decade demands special attention because both are potentially damaging plant pests with a broad host range, with the former being an established vector of the tomato spotted wilt virus (Rachana et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022b\u003c/span\u003e). Recently, in the state of Telangana, chilli (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c/em\u003e L.) farmers mistook the outbreak of \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e for an infestation of mites and sprayed the wrong pesticides, which led to a thrips flare-up that caused about 80 per cent yield loss (Janyala \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, failure to rapidly and accurately identify the nascent populations of an economically significant pest species can have far-reaching consequences, particularly from the biosafety and management points of view (Armstrong and Ball \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e; Venette and Hutchison \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe purposes of this article are to investigate and document the composition of thrips species infesting mulberry, to point out the risk involved if \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e predominates the mulberry ecosystem, and to illustrate the important diagnostic characters of the species collected on that host.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Field collection, rearing, mounting and identification of thrips specimens","content":"\u003cp\u003eFrom January 2017 to June 2023, around 400 thrips specimens collected on mulberry (cv. Victory-1) in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in India were examined (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollection details and composition of different thrips species infesting mulberry in three south Indian states\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eState\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollection date\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollection place and district\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThrips species\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComposition (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAndhra Pradesh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27 January 2017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAkkagaladevarahalli, Anantapur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 September 2019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEllapalle, Chittoor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"27\" rowspan=\"28\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKarnataka\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 February 2017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChintamani, Chikkaballapur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBathrips melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 October 2017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHagalahalli, Ramanagara\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21 February 2018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChintamani, Chikkaballapur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e58.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2 June 2018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeresandra, Chikkaballapur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21 January 2019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMalur, Kolar\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e60.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 May 2019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKanakapura, Ramanagara\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e76.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28 December 2020\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChintamani, Chikkaballapur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 March 2022\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMattur, Raichur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 March 2022\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMattur, Raichur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 April 2022\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMattur, Raichur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 September 2022\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMattur, Raichur\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 February 2023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHandenahalli, Bengaluru Urban\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27 February 2023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHandenahalli, Bengaluru Urban\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10 March 2023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHandenahalli, Bengaluru Urban\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e70.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 June 2023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMagadi, Ramanagara\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTamil Nadu\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 June 2019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBhavani, Erode\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17 October 2021\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBhavani, Erode\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20 February 2023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeriyakulam, Theni\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTerminal portions of branches with leaves exhibiting various tissue responses generally associated with thrips infestation, including puckering, crinkling, twisting, curling, malformation and discoloration (Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e) were sampled to identify the causative thrips species. Variations in symptoms due to attack by an individual thrips species or a combination of thrips species were also distinguished. Infested leaves were gently tapped on a white plastic tray to collect adult thrips on the spot. In addition, whenever infestation of multiple species was suspected, mulberry twigs harboring thrips immatures and eggs were held in transparent polypropylene bags (HiDispo Bag\u0026trade; \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;14, size 14\u0026rdquo; \u0026times; 20\u0026rdquo;, HiMedia Laboratories Private Limited, Mumbai, India) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e) in the laboratory until adult emergence. Adult thrips were preserved in vials containing AGA medium (9 parts of 10% ethyl alcohol; 1 part of glacial acetic acid; 1 ml of Triton X-100 in 1,000 ml of the mixture) for further processing. Towards species identification, the specimens from the preservative medium were first immersed in 2% NaOH for 30 min, then transferred to 60% ethyl alcohol to remain for 24 h, and finally dehydrated through a series of 70\u0026ndash;100% ethyl alcohol washes. After clearing in clove oil for 5\u0026ndash;10 min, the specimens were individually mounted in Canada balsam on microscope slides, which were eventually dried at 45\u0026deg;C for 30 min in an oven. The slides were observed under a Nikon Eclipse 80i microscope (4\u0026times; and 10\u0026times;) and photomicrographs of taxonomically important characters of the mounted species were captured with a Nikon DS-Vi1 camera attached to this microscope. Figures\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e and Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;11 were collaged on Adobe Express (\u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.adobe.com/express/\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.adobe.com/express/\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e) and with Adobe Photoshop CS2 software, respectively. Whenever multiple species emerged from the same sample, they were separately counted to arrive at the proportion of each species.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe specimens were identified to species level using the keys furnished by Chakraborty et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), Mound and Masumoto (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e) and Masumoto and Okajima (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Voucher specimens were deposited in the National Insect Museum at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research \u0026ndash; National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (ICAR\u0026ndash;NBAIR) in Bengaluru, India.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Thrips species composition","content":"\u003cp\u003eTaxonomic investigations led to the identification of five thrips species (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia), viz. \u003cem\u003eB. melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e Hood, \u003cem\u003eThrips palmi\u003c/em\u003e Karny and \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e that damaged mulberry. Whereas \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e belongs to the subfamily Dendrothripinae, the other four are in the subfamily Thripinae, all within the family Thripidae.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Damage symptoms","content":"\u003cp\u003eThrips-infested leaves exhibited various tissue responses, such as puckering, crinkling, wrinkling, twisting, curling, wrinkling, malformation, discoloration, blackening, premature drying and necrosis (Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). Direct damage to the leaves and indirect damage to the plants occurred due to sucking of sap from the abaxial side of leaves by both larvae and adults of thrips.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt Handenahalli village in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru urban district in Karnataka, where multiple thrips infested the same plant in a mulberry plantation (12.818170, 77.775416), the affected leaves exhibited necrotic blotches (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eA) and eventually dried prematurely (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eC). The affected leaves showed typical downward curling (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eB), which was in contrast to the upward curling caused by sole infestation of \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e. Multiple thrips also caused distortion of terminal portion of branches (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003eA). Leaf puckering, with blackening of adaxial side (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003eA) and furrows on abaxial side (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003eB), was commonly observed. Although the symptoms such as downward curling could not be specifically linked to a particular species of thrips, the consistent and dominating presence of \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e in the thrips complex associated with the symptoms points towards its role in causing such damage. The other symptoms observed at Handenahalli included stunting of the apical portion of the branches along with internode shortening.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, close observations of \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e-induced symptoms in mulberry indicated the manifestation of well-known symptoms. The affected leaves showed streaks during early infestation and exhibited brownish patches in the advanced stage. Numerous such patches on the undersurface of leaves gave a mottled appearance, while the corresponding uppersurface was pale yellowish. Severe infestation led to cupping and upward curling of leaves, which eventually dried up prematurely.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMahimasanthi \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e. (2022) observed deformation of new growth when thrips fed on the apical tissues, and reported that early infestation caused silvery streaks on leaves, and as the infestation advanced, the streaks turned into blotches, leaf edges became yellowish brown and the leaves curled upwards.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Diagnostic characters of the thrips species","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBathrips melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis: Body and legs yellow. Light brown shades in ocellar triangle and on median abdominal tergites II\u0026ndash;VIII; antennae and fore wing brown. Eight segmented antennae. Head with interocellar setae pair longer than side of ocellar triangle and placed within hind ocelli. Metanotum medially with faint reticulations, median setae located behind anterior margin; without campaniform sensilla. First vein of forewing with 5 basal and 3 distal setae, second vein with 4\u0026ndash;5 setae. Posteromarginal comb absent on abdominal tergite VIII. Discal setae absent on abdominal sternites.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis: Body white, interocular area, one-third lateral pronotum, lateral mesonotum, median third of fore tibia brown; forewing grey. Antennae 8 segmented. Pronotum with narrow transverse reticulations, transverse internal apodeme interrupted at the middle. Metanotum has closely spaced longitudinal striae; median pair of setae small and close together. First vein of forewing with two widely spaced setae distally, second veinal setae absent. Abdominal tergite VIII with complete postero-marginal comb; IX having 3 rows of long and stout microtrichia in posterior half; X without longitudinal split.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis: Body yellow having median brown shades on abdominal tergites III\u0026ndash;VII, with dark antecostal ridges on abdominal tergites and sternites. Head with interocellar setae pair arise between hind ocelli, well behind tangent between their anterior margins. Pronotum with closely placed striations, posteromarginal setae S2 longer than S1. Median setae pair on metanotum placed well behind anterior margin. Second vein of forewing with 2 setae. Lateral tergal microtrichial fields on abdomen with 3 discal setae; tergite VIII with complete posteromarginal comb. Abdominal sternites with microtrichia extending across median area but limited to posterior half.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips palmi\u003c/em\u003e (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis: Yellow body; antennal segments IV and V with brown apices, VI and VII brown; fore wing clear. Antennae 7 segmented. Metanotum having irregular longitudinal lines converging posteriorly, with anterior transverse lines; median pair of setae placed well behind anterior margin, with campaniform sensilla. First vein of fore wing with 3 setae distally. Abdominal tergite VIII with posteromarginal comb complete. Abdominal sternites devoid of discal setae.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis: Body brown; forewing brown with base pale; legs yellow. Interocellar setae pair small and placed on anterior margins of ocellar triangle. Seven segmented antennae. Metanotum reticulate medially; median setae situated behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent. Forewing first and second veins with regular rows of setae. Posteromarginal comb on abdominal tergite VIII absent, a few microtrichia present laterally. Discal setae absent on abdominal sternites II and VII, III\u0026ndash;VI with about 6\u0026ndash;12 discal setae arranged irregularly.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiagnostic key to the reported species\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1. Antennae with 8 segments (Fig. 6C) ............................................................................................................................................ \u003cstrong\u003e2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Antennae with 7 segments (Fig. 9F) \u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;......\u003cstrong\u003e4\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2. Hind tarsi more than 0.5 times longer than hind tibia (Fig. 7A)\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;...\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Hind tarsi less than 0.3 times longer than hind tibia\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u003cstrong\u003e3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3. Lateral abdominal tergites with closely spaced fine microtrichial rows (Fig. 8G)\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;...\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..\u0026hellip;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eS. dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Lateral abdominal tergites without closely spaced fine microtrichial rows \u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;...\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eB. melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4. Abdominal sternites without discal setae;\u0026nbsp;tergite VIII with complete posteromarginal comb (Fig. 9I); metanotum striate longitudinally (Fig. 9E)\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;..........\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e- Abdominal sternites with discal setae; tergite VIII without complete posteromarginal comb (Fig. 10G); metanotum reticulate (Fig. 10F) \u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;.\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;...\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;\u0026hellip;....................\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe composition of thrips species infesting mulberry in India is poorly known since the majority of studies presumed \u003cem\u003eP. mori\u003c/em\u003e as the only prevalent species in this crop. The major objective of our study, therefore, was to understand the species diversity over the years. We recorded \u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e as pests of mulberry for the first time. CABI\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023b\u003c/span\u003e \u0026amp; \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003ec\u003c/span\u003e) lists do not have mulberry as the host of these two thrips species anywhere in the world. The only member of the family Moraceae listed as a host of \u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e is \u003cem\u003eFicus racemosa\u003c/em\u003e L. (Tyagi and Vikas 2014), while no species from the family is given as a host of \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e. As for \u003cem\u003eS. dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMorus\u003c/em\u003e (mulberry tree) is listed as the main host without reference along with \u003cem\u003eMorus australis\u003c/em\u003e Poir. (CABI \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023a\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn hindsight, the thrips incidence could have been conveniently divided into two phases: preinvasion of \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e in chilli, i.e. before 2021 (Rachana et al. \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022b\u003c/span\u003e) and post this invasion. By and large, \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e was the most common species infesting mulberry across the three states (Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). While in Andhra Pradesh it was the only thrips species, in Tamil Nadu, \u003cem\u003eB. melanocornis\u003c/em\u003e was also found attacking mulberry. Karnataka, however, had all five thrips species, including the newly recorded \u003cem\u003eT. palmi\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e. Although \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e was not widespread, its dominance at Handenahalli in Karnataka needs to be viewed seriously as it has the potential to spread and cause huge economic loss to mulberry cultivation, and hence can indirectly affect the sericulture sector. From being just 33.3 per cent in the beginning, it increased its share to 70.0 per cent in the composition in about a month (Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e), which was a matter of concern. Being a highly polyphagous species, \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e, if left uncontrolled, could also spread to other susceptible crops with mulberry acting as a perennial source of this pest. Although the reasons for the shift and expansion in species composition are unknown as yet, the newly recorded thrips species must have exhibited higher population growth rates by exploiting the abundant food resource (Morse and Hoddle \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e) in the form of mulberry, which incidentally, receives scarce pesticide treatment. The presence of \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e in the transient composition of mulberry-infesting thrips species points to a likely displacement of \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e in the future with serious repercussions for the moriculture and sericulture sectors. Our study exhorts the mulberry stakeholders to consider thrips infestation as a species complex rather than a single species in most cases. The comprehensive photomicrographs of diagnostic characters of the five thrips species presented here would be beneficial to students and researchers for the authentic identification of these pests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe thank all the farmers who were kind enough to allow sampling in their mulberry crop. We also thank S. Pandian for assistance with collection, rearing and separation of thrips species. Support for this work came from an institute-based project to P.S.K., and from the Science and Engineering Research Board of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (grant code: CRG/2021/006228), to R.R.R.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAnusha, H. G., and R. N. Bhaskar. 2015. Sucking pests of mulberry: A review paper. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science. 8(8): 1\u0026ndash;3.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eArmstrong, K. F., and S. L. Ball. 2005. DNA barcodes for biosecurity: invasive species identification. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 360: 1813\u0026ndash;1823.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhattacharya, S. S., N. Chakraborty, K. V. S. N. Rao, and A. K. Sahakundu. 1993. Thrips of mulberry in West Bengal and the record of thrips infecting mulberry in India. Environment and Ecology. 11 (1):239\u0026ndash;240.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBielza, P., V. Quinto, J. Contreras, M. Torn\u0026eacute;, A. Mart\u0026iacute;n, and P. J. Espinosa. 2007. Resistance to spinosad in the western flower thrips, \u003cem\u003eFrankliniella occidentalis\u003c/em\u003e (Pergande), in greenhouses of south-eastern Spain. Pest Management Science. 63: 682\u0026ndash;687.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCABI. 2023a. \u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e (chilli thrips). In: CABI compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.49065\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCABI. 2023b. \u003cem\u003eThrips palmi\u003c/em\u003e (melon thrips). In: CABI compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.53745\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCABI. 2023c. \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (tobacco thrips). In: CABI compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.53744\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eChakraborty, R., D. Singha, V. Kumar, A. Pakrashi, S. Kundu, K. Chandra, S. Patnaik, and K. Tyagi. 2019. DNA barcoding of selected \u003cem\u003eScirtothrips\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003especies (Thysanoptera) from India. Mitochondrial DNA Part B. 4 (2): 2710\u0026ndash;2714.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eErcisli, S., and E. Orhan. 2007. Chemical composition of white (\u003cem\u003eMorus alba\u003c/em\u003e), red (\u003cem\u003eMorus rubra\u003c/em\u003e) and black (\u003cem\u003eMorus nigra\u003c/em\u003e) mulberry fruits. Food Chemistry.\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e103: 1380\u0026ndash;1384.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eEtebari, K., and A. R. Bizhannia. 2006. Effects of thrips (\u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips mori\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eNiwa) infested mulberry leaves on silkworm growth and commercial cocoon parameters. Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences. 4: 31\u0026ndash;37.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eEtebari, K., L. Matindoost, and R. N. Singh. 2004. Decision tools for mulberry thrips \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips mori\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e(Niwa, 1908) management in sericultural regions; an overview. Entomologia Sinica. 11: 243\u0026ndash;255.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eJanyala, S. 2021. Insect hits 9L acres of chilli crop in south India; experts point to use of pesticide. In: The Indian Express, 12 December 2021. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/insect-hits-chilli-crop-southindia-7668378/.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eKhan, M. A., A. A. Rahman, S. Islam, P. Khandokhar, S. Parvin, M. B. Islam, M. Hossain, M. Rashid, G. Sadik, S. Nasrin, M. N. H. Mollah, and A. H. M. K. Alam. 2013. A comparative study on the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from different parts of \u003cem\u003eMorus alba\u003c/em\u003e L. (Moraceae). BMC Research Notes. 6: 24: 1\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eKumm, S., and G. Moritz. 2008. First detection of \u003cem\u003eWolbachia\u003c/em\u003e in arrhenotokous populations of thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae and Phlaeothripidae) and its role in reproduction. Environmental Entomology. 37: 1422\u0026ndash;1428.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eLalitha, N., M. V. Santhakumar, and S. Nirmal Kumar. 2018. Species diversity of predators on sucking pest complex in mulberry gardens of West Bengal. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 6: 523\u0026ndash;528.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMahimasanthi, A., R. R. Rachana, and Babulal. 2022. Thrips in mulberry gardens of south Tamil Nadu: Incidence and management. Indian Silk. 14 (4): 4\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMasumoto, M., and S. Okajima. 2017. Studies on Dendrothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from Japan, with new records and one new species. Zootaxa. 4362: 405\u0026ndash;420.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMorse, J. G., and M. S. Hoddle. 2006. Invasion biology of thrips. Annual Review of Entomology. 51: 67\u0026ndash;89.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMound, L. A., and M. Masumoto. 2005. The genus \u003cem\u003eThrips\u003c/em\u003e (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. Zootaxa. 1020: 1\u0026ndash;64.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eNguyen, V. H., W. Jonckheere, D. T. Nguyen, G. J. de Moraes, T. Van Leeuwen, and P. De Clercq. 2019. Phytoseiid mites prey effectively on thrips eggs: Evidence from predation trials and molecular analyses. Biological Control. 137: 104012.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePrasannakumar, N.R., B. S. Rajendra Prasad, and P. Shivarama Bhat. 2020. Distribution pattern and sequential sampling plan for chilli thrips, \u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e Hood (Thripidae: Thysanoptera). International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 40: 131\u0026ndash;139.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRachana, R. R., B. Amarendra, and R. Gandhi Gracy. 2022a. Studies on \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips\u003c/em\u003e (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from India, with one new species. Zootaxa\u003cem\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e 5209 (3): 365\u0026ndash;372.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRachana, R. R., P. Roselin, M. Amutha, K. Sireesha, and G. Narasa Reddy. 2022b. Invasive pest, \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) \u0026ndash; a looming threat to Indian agriculture. Current Science. 122: 211\u0026ndash;213.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRohela, G. K., P. Shukla, Muttanna, R. Kumar, and S. R. Chowdhury. 2020. Mulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus\u003c/em\u003e spp.): An ideal plant for sustainable development. Trees, Forests and People. 2: 100011.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSarkar, T., T. Mogili, and V. Sivaprasad. 2017. Improvement of abiotic stress adaptive traits in Mulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus\u003c/em\u003e spp.): an update on biotechnological interventions. 3 Biotech. 7: 214.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSreerama Kumar, P., and R. Maruthi Mehanth. 2022. Breaking new ground for biological control in mulberry: \u003cem\u003eTyphlodromus\u003c/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003eAnthoseius\u003c/em\u003e) \u003cem\u003etransvaalensis\u003c/em\u003e to counter \u003cem\u003ePolyphagotarsonemus\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003elatus\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003edarci\u003c/em\u003e. In: \u003cem\u003eAbstracts of Papers,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e2022 ESA, ESC, and ESBC Joint Annual Meeting: In-Person \u0026amp; Virtual\u003c/em\u003e, organised by the Entomological Society of America (ESA), Entomological Society of Canada (ESC) and the Entomological Society of British Columbia (ESBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 13\u0026ndash;16 November 2022.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSreerama Kumar, P., and R. Varshney. 2020. Efficacy of \u003cem\u003eHirsutella thompsonii\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eand two other biological control agents against the broad mite in mulberry. Arthropod Management Tests. 45: 1\u0026ndash;2.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyagi, K., I. Tyagi, A. Patidar, D. Singha, A. Kaczmarczyk-Ziemba, D. Banerjee, and V. Kumar. 2022. Gut microbial composition in developmental stages of gall inducing thrips \u003cem\u003eGynaikothrips uzeli\u003c/em\u003e and associated plant pathogenesis. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. 29: 1439\u0026ndash;1446.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyagi, K., and V. Kumar. 2011. A new record of pest species \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips bhattii\u003c/em\u003e Kud\u0026ocirc; (Thysanoptera; Thripidae; Dendrothripinae) from India. Indian Journal of Entomology. 73: 296\u0026ndash;297.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyagi, K., and V. Kumar, 2014. New records of thrips (Thysanoptera, Terebrantia, Thripidae) from Himachal Pradesh, India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. 114 (Part-4):591\u0026ndash;598.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyagi, K., and V. Kumar. 2015. First report of western flower thrips, \u003cem\u003eFrankliniella occidentalis\u003c/em\u003e (Pergande) (Thripidae: Thysanoptera) from India \u0026ndash; A potential havoc to Indian agriculture. Halteres. 6: 1\u0026ndash;3.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyagi, K., V. Kumar, D. Singha, and R. Chakraborty. 2015. Morphological and DNA barcoding evidence for invasive pest thrips, \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e (Thripidae: Thysanoptera), newly recorded from India. Journal of Insect Science. 15 (1): 105: 1\u0026ndash;4.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eVenette, R. C., and Hutchison, W. D. 2021. Invasive insect apecies: global challenges, strategies \u0026amp; opportunities. Frontiers in Insect Science. 1: 650520.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eVijayan, K. 2010. The emerging role of genomic tools in mulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus\u003c/em\u003e) genetic improvement. Tree Genetics \u0026amp; Genomes. 6: 613\u0026ndash;625.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eVijayan, K., S. P. Chakraborti, and P. D. Ghosh. 2004. Screening of mulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus\u003c/em\u003e spp.) for salinity tolerance through \u003cem\u003ein vitro\u003c/em\u003e seed germination. Indian Journal of Biotechnology. 3: 47\u0026ndash;51.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eYuan, Q., and L. Zhao. 2017. The mulberry (\u003cem\u003eMorus alba\u003c/em\u003e L.) fruit\u0026mdash;A review of characteristic components and health benefits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 65: 10383\u0026minus;10394.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Invasive thrips, moriculture, mulberry, new host, sericulture","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAlerted by the steady upsurge of thrips infestation that led to drastic leaf-yield losses in mulberry, we investigated the composition of thrips species damaging the crop in the south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2023. The five species recorded included three previously recognized mulberry pests \u0026mdash; \u003cem\u003eBathrips melanicornis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePseudodendrothrips darci\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eScirtothrips dorsalis\u003c/em\u003e \u0026mdash; and two newly encountered pests, viz. \u003cem\u003eThrips palmi\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e. At Handenahalli village in Anekal taluk of Bengaluru urban district in Karnataka, where multiple thrips species simultaneously infested mulberry, the typical downward curling of leaves was ascribed to \u003cem\u003eT. parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e. This was in contrast to the upward curling caused by the sole infestation of \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e, the most common species infesting mulberry across the three states. Diagnostic characters of all the reported species are presented here along with the identification keys and photomicrographs. \u003cem\u003eThrips parvispinus\u003c/em\u003e as a new pest of mulberry warrants special attention given the economic loss caused by this highly polyphagous invasive species in chilli in southern India during the latter half of 2021. Its presence in the transient composition of mulberry-infesting thrips species points to a likely displacement of \u003cem\u003eP. darci\u003c/em\u003e in the future with serious repercussions for the moriculture and sericulture sectors.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Transient composition of the thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting mulberry in southern India: first report of two, including the dominating invasive pest Thrips parvispinus","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-02-06 16:47:59","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3930099/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"883df9ca-b19c-4920-a0fa-dd72c1314460","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 6th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-02-06T16:48:00+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-02-06 16:47:59","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3930099","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3930099","identity":"rs-3930099","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}