Host plant range of western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Badjgah (Shiraz)

Identification of thrips host plants, can be problematic due to the large number of hosts reported for the adults of these insects. Many thrips species are highly dispersive in their behavior and, as a result, adults land on a wide range of plants, on which they cannot breed and may not even be able to feed. Knowledge about the host plants of thrips is important because many polyphagous species cause the transmission of tospoviruses. Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) are considered as the most important thrips species pests all over the world. In order to determining the host range of western flower thrips as well as onion thrips in Badjgah region (Shiraz, Iran) various plant species were investigatedduring 2015-2016. One or both thrips species were found on 131 plant species. In this study F. occidentalis and T. tabaci have been collected from 74 (in 29 botanical families) and 28 plant species (in 16 botanical families), respectively. The most host plants identified for the western flower thrips were Asteraceae family, followed by the Rosaceae family and for the onion thrips of Asteraceae family. It seems likely that there are a trend to replace onion thrips by western flower thrips during recent years in Badjgah region.