Banana Flower Thrips
Banana flower thrips caused by Thrips hawaiiensis are small, slender-bodied sucking insects that can be seen on the surface of young banana fruit. The adult females (1 mm) are distinguished as colored - bright orange and black and usually found under bracts or inside flowers.
What are the symptoms
Oviposition and feeding of the thrips caused fruit damage resulting in slightly raised areas on the fruit which are grey-brown to grey-silver and develop to brown corky scab. Damage usually occurs on the outer curve of the fruit.
Impact to the crop
Damage can spread to other parts of the fruits in severe infestations which can cover the bunch. It has little economical importance as it becomes unnoticeable as the fruit matures.
How to control
√ Removal of the male 'bell' where adult thrips move after all hands are exposed, may help in reducing thrips populations
√ Bunch injection with insecticide to control scab moth has been very successful in preventing corky scab development.
√ Treatments should concentrate on bunches that emerge during the period of maximum thrips activity
Souce: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Queensland Government. Retrieved from: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/agriculture/plants/fruit-vegetable/insect-pests/banana-flower-thrips#:~:text=Small%2C%20slender%2Dbodied%20active%20insects,under%20bracts%20or%20inside%20flowers.
Yu D., Huang P., Chen Y., Lin Y., Akutse KS., Lan Y. and Wei H.2018. " Effects of Flower Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Nutritional Quality of Banana (Zingiberales: Musaceae) buds. Retrieved from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0202199
