Özet:

Field experiments planned to determine the abundance of thrips species and predatory insects on weeds in Okitsu mandarin were conducted in the Research Area of Agricultural Faculty, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey during 2014-2015. Okitsu mandarin grove consists of 10 rows and 20 trees in each row. Four rows of the experimental area were left weedy during the study. During this time most of the weeds had the flowering stage, with different heights. In this study, a total of seven thrips species was determined. The most common and abundant sampled thrips species were Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Melanthrips spp. and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), respectively. Thrips tabaci were mostly sampled from Vicia villosa as well as a predatory bug, Orius niger (Wolff, 1811) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). Melanthrips species were sampled in high numbers on Sinapis arvensis. Frankliniellla occidentalis was found abundantly on Melilotus officinalis. Sinapis arvensis on which Melanthrips species are the most abundant, hosted relatively low numbers of F. occidentalis and T. tabaci indicating Melanthrips species compete well with other two harmful thrips species on this plant. This study suggests that it can be useful to allow the weeds with yellow –and multi-flowered as well as V. villosa to grow in groves without any precautionary measures against weeds. Besides, these weeds may play a role as trap plants for thrips and banker plants for predators mainly Orius species.

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