Population densities of wheat thrips, Haplothrips tritici Kurdjumov (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), on different wheat and barley cultivars in the province of Kahramanmaras, Turkey

Abstract

Population densities of Haplothrips tritici (H. tritici) Kurdjumov (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) were studied in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. In 2002, bread wheat cultivars, Bocro 4, Pehlivan and Yüreğir 89, durum wheat cultivars, Balcali 85, Ceylan 95 and Harran 95 and barley cultivars, Esterel and Pacific, were used. In 2003, Sham IV and Firat 93 were used instead of Pehlivan and Ceylan 95. Hege was also added to the barley cultivars. H. tritici (mostly second-stage larvae) population densities on Bocro 4, Pehlivan and Yüreğir 89 on the 6th of June in the first year were 54.8, 59.5 and 33.0/ear, respectively. Populations on durum wheat reached their highest value twice (during the egg and second larvae stages) in the first year. The first one was on the 10th May, when H. tritici densities in Balcali 85, Ceylan 95 and Harran 95, were 42.1, 52.0 and 40.5/ear, respectively, and the second one was on the 6th of June, when they were 47.5, 60.9 and 58.9/ear, respectively. In the second year, H. tritici on Bocro 4 reached their highest level (26.9/ear) on 17th May and H. tritici populations on Sham IV and Yüreğir 89 on 29th May were also at their highest level with 48.4 and 20.1/ear, respectively. Population densities on durum wheat cultivars were not as high as in the first year and changed between 0.2 and 9.7/ear. H. tritici on barley also stayed at low levels for the first (0.1 to 3.2/ear) and second (0.1 to 1.2/ear) years.

Key words: Thysanoptera, Haplothrips tritici, population density, bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, cultivars.