Morphological and Genetic Variation of Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Chili Plantation (Capsicum annuum L.) in the Lowland and Highland of Jambi Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Thrips parvispinus Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are dangerous pests for chili (Capsicum annuum L.). Thrips can be found in lowland to highland. The damage caused by thrips can reach 60% and this damage will be greater if the thrips also be vectors of plant virus diseases. The research aims to analyze morphological and genetic variation of T. parvispinus located in the lowlands and in the highlands of Jambi province, Indonesia. T. parvispinus were collected in 2012 from chili plantation in 19 villages spread over 5 districts in the lowlands and 26 villages spread over 2 districts in the highlands. The results showed that T. parvispinus were found at each research site. The size and color of the body T. parvispinus have variations with long, medium and short criteria. Variation in body size of T. parvispinus in lowland: length of 1.42 ± 0.065 mm, medium 1.32 ± 1.15 mm and short 0.122± 0.051 mm. Variation in body size of T. parvispinus in the highlands: length of 1.46 ± 0.035, medium of 1.35 ± 0.051 and short of 1.22 ± 0.089. T. parvispinus with long body size and dark brown color predominantly are found in all survey sites, is 80.53% in the lowlands and 75.91% in the highlands. The results also showed that the insects having different body sizes belong to the same T. parvispinus species.