Efficacy of Bioinsecticides, Synthetic Insecticides, Macro and Micronutrients for the Management of Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci in Onion: a Field Trial

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lind. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major pest of onion worldwide. It damages onion, Allium cepa L., both directly and indirectly, which leads to significant output losses. In 2022, research was conducted in a private onion field in the Delta region, Egypt, to evaluate the efficacy of bioinsecticides and synthetic insecticides and to evaluate the efficacy of macro- and micronutrient in determining treatment effects on onion thrips populations.

Injury caused by onion thrips is often not severe enough to warrant the application of numerous pesticides to crops in the Delta region of Egypt. Spinosad (Tracer 24% SC) and spinetoram (Radiant 12% SC) were used as bioinsecticides, and Pyridalyl (Pleo 50% EC) was used as a synthetic insecticide for managing onion thrips populations. The greatest decrease in infestation was achieved by the application of the chemical insecticide (Pyridalyl) Pleo 50% EC and the bioinsecticide (Spinosad) Tracer 24% SC. The greatest decrease in infestation was achieved by the application of the micronutrient boron.