Occurrence of Neozygites parvispora (Macleod & Carl) Rem. & Kell. (Zygomycetes : Entomophthorales) Attacking the Yellow Tea Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera : Thripidae) in the Tea Fields

Abstract

An entomophthoraceous fungus Neozygites parvispora attacked the yellow tea thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood) in the tea fields, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.The fungal infections with N. parvispora in a population of S.dorsalis occurred in June, July, August, September and October but did not occur in April and May, 1981, 1982. The highest percentage parasitism of S. dorsalis by N. parvispora were 27.2% in August, 1981 and 32.1% in June, 1982. The cadavers with the resting spores were observed on abaxial side of tea leaves in September later, 1982 and in August, 1983. Hibernated resting spores germinated in a tea field, Hidaka city in mid-February, 1985. This is the first report of germination of N. parvispora resting spores in the tea field.