1. THE STATUS AND MANAGEMENT OF FULMEKIOLA SERRATA (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE) IN SUGARCANE IN SOUTH AFRICA Lara Mansfield Doctorate Degree Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Supervisor: Dr. Prem Govender

2. Introduction Fulmekiola serrata (Kobus) - Orient region
2004 – Mainland Africa
Currently - South African sugar belt
All stages found within leaf spindle
Damage
Piercing, sucking
Patches & streaks
Red-brown blemishes
Severe damage

3. Aims Resolution of thrips species complex and pest status
Molecular identification
Compare - international samples
Taxonomic relationship & Origin
Genetic diversity
Fulmekiola serrata (Kobus) – dominant and primary pest species?

4. Materials & Methods Representative sample areas Thrips collection
Spindles opened
Absolute ethanol
Target gene – mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI)
Host-associated evolutionary lineages in Thrips (Brunner et al., 2004)
PCR amplification
Universal primers – TL2-N-3014 and C1-J-1718 (Simon et al. 1994)
Sequencing reactions

5. Tentative outline of PhD
Literature review
The genetic diversity and taxonomy
Mechanisms of sugarcane resistance to thrips
Yield loss and resistance / susceptibility
Control by an entomogenous fungus, Metarhisium anisopliae
Management package

6. Literature review Taxonomy Species Thrips tabaci Scirtothrips aurantii
Frankliniela schultzei
Frankliniela occidentalis
Fulmekiola serrata
Heliothrips sylvanus
Haplothrips nigricornis
Crop
Cotton, Tobacco, Pineapples, Onions, Leeks, Garlic, Tomatoes
Citrus, Macadamias, Mangoes, Proteas
Pineapples, Proteas
Vines
Sugarcane
Guavas, Grapevines
Proteas, Aloes
Family
Thripidae
Phlaeothripidae

7. Understanding the mechanisms of sugarcane resistance to thrips, Fulmekiola serrata (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in South Africa
SASRI project
Aims:
Mechanisms - susceptibility / resistance
Secondary plant metabolites
Relationship between thrips and metabolites
Physical characteristics of leaf
Pilot study – 10 highly colonised & 10 sparsely colonised genotypes
Single analytical method
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (Schauer and Fernie, 2006; Ward et al., 2003)
High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) (Ward et al., 2003)

8. Yield loss & resistance / susceptibility
Status of susceptible & resistant genotypes
Replicated trials
Aim:
Confirm tolerance or susceptibility
Assess damage
Yield data
Materials & Methods:
Half highly colonised & half sparsely colonised genotypes
Monthly surveys
Termination (harvest) – yield data

9. An entomogenous fungus, Metarhisium anisopliae, for the control of Fulmekiola serrata (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
Microbial insecticide - Thrips tabaci in Kenya
Improved efficacy
Isolate of M. anisopliae
Aim:
Strain of entomogenous fungus for control of F. serrata
Trial design: (Maniania et al., 2003)
Randomised block design with four replicates
Treatments
Random and destructive sampling
Incidence of mycosis in thrips recorded
ANOVA
Initial bioassay trials

10. Packaging a management strategy for sugarcane thrips, Fulmekiola serrata (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in South Africa
Assimilate information and findings
Control strategies - other crops
Management Package
Extent of economic importance of F. serrata in South Africa
Full scale IPM program could follow
Ultimate aim – develop management options for South African conditions

11. References
Brunner, P.C., Chatzivassiliou, E.K., Katis, N.I. and Frey, J.E Host-Associated genetic differentiation in Thrips tabaci (Insecta; Thysanoptera), as determined from mtDNA sequence data. Heredity 93: 364 – 370.
Maniania, N.K., Sithanantham, S., Ekesi, S., Ampong-Nyarko, K., Baumgartner, J., Lohr, B. and Matoka, C.M A field trial of the entomogenous fungus Metarhisium anisopliae for control of onion thrips, Thrips tabaci. Crop Protection 22:
Simon C, Frati F, Beckenbach A, Crespi B, Liu H and Flook P Evolution, weighing, and phylogenetic utility of mitochondrial gene sequences and a compilation of conserved polymerase chain reaction primers. Ann Entomol Soc Am 87: 651–701.
Schauer, N. and Fernie, A.R Plant metabolomics: towards biological function and mechanism. Trends in Plant Science 11(10):
Ward, J.L., Harris, C., Lewis, J. and Beale, M.H Assessment of 1H NMR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis as a technique for metabolite fingerprinting of Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytochemistry 62: 949–957

12. Acknowledgements SASRI - financial backing
Dr. Prem Govender - constant support and assistance
My parents and growers - assistance in the field.