Thrips species counts, developmental stages, and host plant associations in avocado and macadamia orchards : Levubu, Limpopo Province, South Africa

The manuscript reports a detailed study on the thrips found in a mixed cropping region in the north of South Africa, with a focus on those affecting avocados and macadamias. We investigated which thrips were present on different cultivars and over the duration of fruit and nut development, using both knock-down and rearing methods. By doing so, we were able to show conclusively that the South African citrus thrips,<i> </i>Scirtothrips aurantii (Faure), was the most abundant species that damaged both crops. Infestation by these thrips at earlier developmental stages led to the most damage, but certain cultivars were more affected than others.