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Onion Thrips: signs and treatment in Jamaica

Tiny pests that concentrate deep in the leaf axils of onions. PlantArmor's crop guides list onion thrips as a common problem on onion.

Onion Thrips: reference image from the PlantArmor field guide

Signs to look for

Leaves turn silvery and heavily scarred
Tips of leaves dry up and turn brown
Bulb size is severely reduced

What to do

Apply a product whose label lists thrips, such as Cure (abamectin) or Selecron, with a heavy surfactant/sticker so it reaches down into the leaf axils.

Crops it affects

Onion

Full onion guide: 3 common problems, soil pH and feeding by stage

Questions growers ask

How do I recognise onion thrips?

Tiny pests that concentrate deep in the leaf axils of onions. The signs to look for: Leaves turn silvery and heavily scarred. Tips of leaves dry up and turn brown. Bulb size is severely reduced.

What should I do about onion thrips?

Apply a product whose label lists thrips, such as Cure (abamectin) or Selecron, with a heavy surfactant/sticker so it reaches down into the leaf axils. Always read the product label and observe the registered rate, re-entry period and pre-harvest interval before you apply any pesticide.

Which crops are affected by onion thrips in Jamaica?

PlantArmor's crop guides list onion thrips as a common problem on onion.

Check it in the field

The PlantArmor app works with no signal, so you can compare what you are seeing against its reference library standing in the plot, then log the spray you use along with its re-entry and pre-harvest intervals. Free to use.

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This description and treatment come from the same reference library the PlantArmor app uses in the field. Pesticide registrations and permitted uses change — always read the current product label and observe the stated rate, re-entry period and pre-harvest interval.