First Report of Invasive Thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in chilli from Alipurduar District of West Bengal, India

Chilli (Capsicum annum L.) is one of the important commercial crops grown in almost all the states of India. However, biotic ravages caused by insect pests limit the productivity and quality of this crop. Recently thrips infestation was recorded in chilli crop in Guabar Nagar village under Alipurduar district of West Bengal. Survey was conducted and thrips specimens were collected from flowers of infested plants. The thrips was identified as Thrips parvispinus on the basis of molecular characterization. The submission of the said sequence to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database resulted in generation of GenBank accession number PP338266. Upon confirmation of the pest as the invasive T. parvispinus, extended surveys were conducted in the neighbouring villages and this invasive thrips was also found in the farmers’ fields of Harinathpur, Baganbari, Dhulagaon and Nabanagar villages of the Alipurduar district of West Bengal.