La Unió Llauradora has asked the Regional Ministry of Agriculture to promote an urgent biological control strategy to manage the Scirtothrips aurantii quarantine pest, commonly known as South African thrips, in a sustainable way and without generating a disproportionate economic burden for farmers.
This pest already affects various crops such as citrus, kaki, pomegranate, table grapes, and even some vegetables. It was first detected in Spain in 2020, in the province of Huelva. However, in May 2024, the Plant Health Service of the Ministry of Agriculture detected an expansion of this pest in various regions of the Valencian Community, such as Vega Baja, Baix Vinalopó, Safor, and Ribera Alta. It has spread very quickly and its presence has been confirmed, according to the last update a few weeks ago, in 325 municipalities, which means that it is already present in 60% of the towns in the autonomous region.
La Unió proposes that the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, through its Plant Health Service and the IVIA, activate a first urgent phase of public purchase of auxiliary insects and, in a second phase, distribute them free of charge to Valencian farmers. Specifically, the organization proposes using Franklinothrips megalops (a thrips predator of other thrips, including Scirtothrips aurantii), and Amblyseius swirskii, a mite predator of thrips and whiteflies that is widely used in integrated pest management strategies.
This proposal is based on previous experiences that have proven to be effective, such as the massive release of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture to combat the South African cotonet (Delottococcus aberiae). Using a similar distribution system would facilitate the affected farmers' access to these beneficial organisms and the Valencian agrarian administration could carry out a mass release.
In addition, according to La Unió, the Ministry should plan a massive release during the end of August and during the autumn of 2025 (the period of less application of phytosanitary treatments in the Valencian countryside) which would maximize the effectiveness of the auxiliary fauna in controlling the pest.
La Unió has repeatedly insisted on the need to adopt urgent and specific measures to deal with this pest, such as granting direct aid to farmers affected or the free supply of chronotropic adhesive traps. Now, given the seriousness of the situation, La Unió has asked the Regional Ministry of Agriculture to urgently consider this proposal.
For more information:
Carles Peris
La Unió
Tel.: +34 658 92 89 23
Email: launio@launio.org
https://launio.org