Loquat and pomegranate thrips in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Abstract: A thrips survey was conducted during 2006-2007 in pomegranate and loquat trees in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkiye which includes Adana, Mersin, Hatay and Osmaniye provinces. For the extraction of thrips in the laboratory, new shoots with terminal buds and flowers were collected and 400 pomegranate and 1000 loquat fruits were randomly checked visually for any damage. A total of 511 adult thrips were collected. Seven species of thrips were identified: Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (loquat, pomegranate), Thrips tabaci Lindeman (loquat, pomegranate), Thrips major Uzel (loquat, pomegranate), Pezothrips kellyanus Bagnall (pomegranate), Frankliniella intonsa Trybom (pomegranate), Thrips meridionalis Priesner (loquat), Melanthrips fuscus Sulzer (loquat). Among these species, T. major was the most widely distributed species (90.6%), occurring throughout all loquat growing districts in the Eastern Mediterranean Region followed by T. meridionalis (3.5%) in both years. However, F. occidentalis was the most widely distributed species (94%), occurring throughout all pomegranate-growing districts in the Eastern Mediterranean Region followed by T. tabaci (3%) in both years. Thrips are presently of little economic importance as pests of pomegranate (little damage) and loquat (damage rate 17%) in the region.