Sorry for the short notice folks, but even sometimes I’m out of the loop! There are two upcoming webinars on Thrips parvispinus, the new invasive thrips that is a serious pest of tropical ornamentals and pepper crops.
The first is by the University of Florida Extension folks, and should be a great update on what’s happening at the source. That webinar is TOMORROW (May 4) at 10am-12pm ET, so hopefully you see this in time! Hopefully it will be recorded for those that miss it.
The next webinar is on May 10th, and is being put on jointly by the Horticultural Research Institute, AmericanHort, the Canadian Nursery & Landscape Association, and American Floral Endowment.
For more details on these webinars and how to register, keep reading.
Tomorrow’s Webinar by UF IFAS Extension:
Topics covered in this webinar are in the PDF document below, which can be downloaded. Register at:
https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpcOuoqjspGNfDP4CGNYgS0xG019nsVUKk#/registration
May 10th Webinar by HRI:
Join the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), in collaboration with AmericanHort, the Canadian Nursery & Landscape Association, and American Floral Endowment, and learn more about Thrips parvispinus.
Thrips parvispinus may lack a universally accepted common name (some refer to it as Pepper Thrips, others as tropical tobacco thrips), but by whatever name you might call it, it is one destructive little pest. Native to the Asian tropics, T. parvispinus has been reported in or intercepted from five continents in the last 30 years and has a wide range of host plants including vegetable, fruit, and ornamental plants.
In this webinar, you’ll hear directly from three experts in the field who will cover identification, scouting, and potential controls. A question-and-answer period with these experts will occur at the end of the webinar.
This webinar will cover three areas:
- History and Field Identification of Thrips parvispinus in Florida: Lance Osborne will discuss the response of USDA-ARS, University of Florida and Florida’s Regulatory Agency (FDACS-DPI) to the detection of this important pest. He will also discuss the use of observations and field guides to identify Thrips parvispinus.
- When, Where, and How to Monitor for T. parvispinus: Thrips parvispinus causes severe damage to several types of tropical ornamental plants. Sarah Jandricic will share what damage looks like on several plant species, where the thrips like to reside on the plant, and effective ways to monitor for them in your crop.
- Options to Manage T. parvispinus: Damage from Thrips parvispinus feeding reduces plant quality. Cristi Palmer will present outcomes from international efficacy research and options that are available in the US for thrips management.
Registration for this webinar can be found at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6wgLLCE1TouRgwPQ9yQomg#/registration