Megalurothrips usitatus: an emerging pest in North America, Central America and the Caribbean
Megalurothrips usitatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is native to tropical Asia where it has been associated with damage to bean and other legume crops (Fabaceae). Damage is produced by direct feeding of larvae and adults on flowers, leaves and pods, and by oviposition on flowers and pods. M. usitatus is not known to transmit tospoviruses. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) has been reported to be the preferred host of M. usitatus, but this thrips species feeds on many other cultivated plants including Arachis hypogaea (peanut), Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea), Glycine max (soybean), Phaseolus lunatus (lima bean), Vigna unguiculata (cowpea, black-eye pea), as well as on non-fabaceous plants. Until recently, it was only reported from Asia and Oceania, but since 2019 new records of this species have been made from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
- In 2019, M. usitatus was first found in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) fields in Cuba.
- In March 2020, M. usitatus was first found in the USA, in Miami-Dade county (Florida) on common bean (P. vulgaris).
- In March 2021, agricultural authorities reported the first occurrence of M. usitatus in Belize on black-eyed beans (Vigna unguiculata).
- In May 2021, M. usitatus was recorded for the first time in Nayarit state, Mexico, in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) crops
A geographical distribution and a list of host plants of M. usitatus are now stored in the EPPO Global Database: https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/MEGTUS
Sources
Anonymous (2021) Megalurothrips usitatus was detected in Belize. The Belize Ag Report, Spring 2021, p 13. https://ambergriscaye.com/art8/44BzeAgReport.pdf (last accessed 2022-03).
Campos MS (2021) [Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), an emergent pest in the common bean crop: Review]. Revista de Protección Vegetal 36(2), 8 pp. http://revistas.censa.edu.cu/index.php/RPV/article/view/1145/1827 (in Spanish) (last accessed 2022-03).
SENASICA (2022-02-10) Alerta en Nayarit por plaga no registrada en México. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad (SENASICA) notas periodísticas. https://prod.senasica.gob.mx/ALERTAS/inicio/pages/single.php?noticia=13952 (last accessed 2022-03).
Soto-Adames FN (2020) Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall), Asian bean thrips, Oriental bean flower thrips or bean flower thrips. Pest Alert. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry 2 pp. https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/91413/file/PESTALERT-Asianbeanthrips02137.pdf (last accessed 2022-03).