Evaluation of Important Agronomic Indices of 16 Spring Dryland Wheat Genotypes under the Influence of Haplothrips tritici (Kurdjumov) in Field Conditions

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Roshanak Ghorbani ¹

Narges Eini ¹

Amir Mohseni Amin ²

Mahnaz Rahmati ³

Mohammad Hosein Hayatolgheybi ¹

Monir Asadzade Moghadam ¹

¹ Plant Protection Research Department, Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Khorramabad, Iran

² Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

³ Agricultural Research Department, Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Khorramabad, Iran

10.22067/jpp.2026.94210.1238

Abstract

Introduction
The wheat thrips, Haplothrips tritici (Kurdjumov) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), is one of the most common and damaging pests of winter and spring wheat, causing significant yield losses by feeding on leaves and grains. This insect has a slender body, measuring approximately 1 to 1.5 mm in length, with a yellowish-brown coloration. It typically inhabits the lower parts of the wheat stem. Both adults and nymphs feed by sucking sap from the young tissues of the wheat plant. The life cycle of the wheat thrips is usually 2 to 3 weeks, and under favorable conditions, its population can increase rapidly.
 
Materials and Methods
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of wheat thrips on important agronomic traits of 16 spring bread wheat genotypes suitable for warm-temperate regions in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran. The field experiment was carried out at the Sarabe Changai Research Station during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in 2018 and four replications in 2019. Thrips population density (nymphs and adults) was monitored at 10-day intervals by randomly collecting five spikes from each plot and transferring them to the laboratory for counting. At harvest, agronomic indices including grain yield (kg ha⁻¹), 1000-grain weight (g), spike length (cm), awn length (cm), number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike (g), number of spikelets per spike, and plant height (cm) were measured for each genotype. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean comparisons (Tukey’s HSD test, P ≤ 0.05) were performed using SAS 9.1.
 
Results and Discussion
The results showed significant differences among genotypes in thrips population density and yield performance. In 2018, genotypes 10, 13, 15, 16, and 5 had the highest thrips densities, while genotype 9 had the lowest. Genotype 5 exhibited the lowest grain yield (2883.5 kg ha⁻¹) and shortest spike length (8.9 cm), identifying it as the most susceptible. In contrast, genotype 15 (KACHU), despite having a high thrips population (the highest in both years), showed the highest grain yield (4364.0 kg ha⁻¹), longest spike length (10.3 cm), and high spike number, indicating strong tolerance to wheat thrips. In 2019, due to increased rainfall and lower average temperatures, thrips populations decreased significantly compared to 2018. Genotype 3 had the highest grain yield (1472.5 kg ha⁻¹) and thousand-grain weight (40.0 g) in 2019, while genotype 4 had the lowest yield (1028.8 kg ha⁻¹). Notably, genotypes 10 and 15 consistently hosted the highest thrips densities across both years while maintaining relatively high yields, suggesting inherent resistance or tolerance to H. tritici. The two-year combined ANOVA revealed significant effects of year, genotype, and their interaction on most agronomic traits except plant height and thousand-grain weight. Morphological traits, particularly spike length and awn length, appear to influence thrips attraction; genotype 15, with the longest spikes and awns, consistently supported high thrips populations yet remained high-yielding.
 
Conclusions
In conclusion, although wheat thrips is not currently considered a major pest, climate change and global warming may elevate its economic importance. Therefore, the use of tolerant genotypes such as KACHU (genotype 15) is recommended as an effective, environmentally friendly component of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for wheat production in warm-temperate regions of Iran.

Keywords

Host plant resistance

IPM

Haplothrips tritici

Spring wheat

Wheat cultivars

Wheat thrips

Subjects

• pests

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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