Host Range of the

Arrhenotokous Populations  of Thrips Tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) (original) (raw)

Specimens of Thrips tabaci Lindeman were collected on numerous plant species in the Hungarian National Parks as well as on ruderal vegetations, but no males were found. At the same time both females and males occurred on the following cultivated plants: on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and onion (Allium cepa), as well as on weed plants as Galinsoga parviflora, Datura stramonium, Stellaria media. Only thelotokous populations were observed on cabbage occurring frequently in high individual number. The ratio between females and males continuously changed during the vegetation period. The occurrence and host range of the studied arrhenotokous populations do not confirm the existence of the subspecies Thrips tabaci tabaci (arrhenotokous) and T. tabaci communis (thelotokous), nor the correlation between the longitudinal occurrence of males and the physiological factors existing inside the Allium plants.