Thrips parvispinus (Karney): An Emerging Invasive Pest to Horticultural Crops

Thrips parvispinus (Karney) is an invasive pest first reported from India in 2015 and again in 2018, but no significant damage on major commercial crops was noted until detection on chilli in Andhra Pradesh in 2021. Since then, rapidly spread across different regions of India, infesting a wide range of crops, with a severe outbreak during the 2021–22 season. Morphologically, T. parvispinus is distinguished by uniformly dark forewings with a pale base and continuous rows of setae on the first and second veins of forewing. The species exhibits a wide host range, occurring on almost all flowering plants, including weeds. Adults predominantly feed on pollen, with peak populations in chilli coinciding with full bloom. Females insert eggs beneath the leaf epidermis, visible as minute eruptions, and the life cycle comprises egg, two larval instars, prepupa, pupa and adult. Although its damage resembles that of other thrips, T. parvispinus shows a stronger preference for flowers and fruits, leading to flower drop and brownish fruit discoloration that reduces market value.