Conventional Sampling Plan for Common Blossom Thrips, Frankliniella schultzei (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in Bell Pepper

Optimizing Corn Crop Protection: The First Sampling Plan for Controlling Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Corn (Zea mays) is the most widely planted crop in the world. Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is currently a primary corn pest. The starting point for the development of pest control decision-making systems is the determination of a conventional sampling plan. Therefore, this study aimed to determine a practical conventional sampling plan for D. maidis in corn crops. Insect density was evaluated in 28 commercial fields. Subsequently, D. maidis densities were sampled from fields ranging from 1 to 100 ha. Insect density conformed to a negative binomial distribution in 89.29% of the fields. The insect densities determined using the sampling plan had a low error rate (up to 15%). Sampling time and costs ranged from 2.06 to 39.45 min/ha and 0.09 to 1.81 USD/ha for fields of 1-100 ha, respectively. These results provide the first precise and representative conventional sampling plan for scouting D. maidis adults grown in corn fields. Therefore, the conventional sampling plan for D. maidis determined in this study is practical and can be incorporated into integrated pest management programs for corn crops owing to its representativeness, precision, speed, and low cost.

Sequential Sampling Plans for Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Soybean Crops With Insecticide Applications Using Tractor or Airplane

Sampling plans are an essential part of integrated pest management programs. Sequential sampling plans enable rapid and low-cost assessment of pest densities. Thrips are emerging pests in soybean crops, and the main method used in pest control is chemical. In soybean crops, insecticides are applied mainly using tractors or airplanes. Thus, this work aimed to determine sequential sampling plans for thrips in soybean crops with insecticide applications using a tractor or airplane. Data were collected in 56 soybean fields, and each field was 20 ha. Sampling plans were determined and validated. The lower (m0) and upper (m1) limits of the sequential sampling plans were: m0 = 1.72 and m1 = 3.43 (by tractor applications) and, m0 = 2.27 and m1 = 4.53 thrips. sample-1 (by airplane applications). The slope (S) and the lower (h0) and upper (h1) intercepts of the sequential sampling plans were: S = 2.42, h0 = -5.79, and h1 = 5.79 (by tractor applications) and, S = 3.19, h0 = -6.83, and h1 = 6.83 (by airplane applications). Sequential sampling plans allowed for correct decisions to be made in all situations using a maximum of 10 samples. The sequential plan reduced the sampling effort by over 87% compared to conventional sampling plans. Therefore, these control decision-making systems have proven feasible and advantageous for implementing integrated pest management programs for controlling thrips species in soybean crops.