Outbreak of tobacco thrips is affecting the quality, volume and cost of pepper production in Almería, according to grower co-op Ejidomar
Spanish pepper growers are investing heavily in biological pest control to manage an outbreak of tobacco thrips in the greenhouses of Almería.
Native to south-east Asia, tobacco thrips (thrips parvispinus) was first detected in Spain in 2017, in greenhouses growing ornamental plants. In 2023, the pest reached pepper greenhouses in Almería on the south coast of Spain.
Last year, the Official College of Agricultural Technical Engineers of Almería (COITAAL) developed a guide to identify, prevent, and control the pest. The organisation warned that its damage can be “devastating” since it “stops the plants’ growth, causing the abortion of buds and flowers and deforming apical shoots”.
Rafael Roldán, commercial director of Almería-based pepper growers cooperative Ejidomar, confirmed that some pepper producers in the region have lost crop as a result of the outbreak.
This has not been the case for Ejidomar, but the supplier had to sell roughly 25 per cent more crop as Class II last season due to quality issues on the peppers’ skin.
Speaking to FPJ at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, Roldán said Ejidomar is in discussions with UK retailers’ technical teams to help manage the situation. But he does not expect more flexibility on crop specifications unless there is a crop shortage.
Beneficial predators are already widely used by pepper producers in Spain’s pepper-growing heartland of Almería, where the vegetable is predominantly grown in plastic greenhouses.
As an EU country, Spain is subject to increasingly strict rules on pesticide use, and Roldán says increasing the number of beneficial insects in greenhouses to control pests is becoming a major cost for growers.
This cost pressure is compounded by rising costs in a whole host of other areas, such as fertilisers, plastic for greenhouses, cardboard packaging, and labour.
There are roughly 180 growers in the Ejidomar cooperative, producing approximately 20,000 tonnes of peppers a year across 350ha. Around 5-10 per cent of this volume is exported to the UK.
Tobacco thrips – characterised by its dark colour and relatively large size – is a major pest in greenhouse crops, such as ornamental plants and peppers. This is partly due to its ability to multiply rapidly in warm, humid conditions.
“The insect poses a significant threat to a variety of cultivated plants, including ornamentals and sweet peppers,” according to the website of crop protection company Koppert.
“With a short life cycle and high reproductive rate, tobacco thrips can quickly establish large populations, making early detection crucial.
“To detect thrips parvispinus, look for signs on the undersides of leaves and within flowers, where they are most commonly found.
“In cases of severe infestation, the thrips may also be visible on the upper sides of leaves. Larvae are primarily located on young leaves and, to a lesser extent, on flower buds. Adults tend to remain hidden.”
Control measures recommended by COITAAL include solarisation of the soil when changing the crop cycle, and covering the soil with plastic or cloth to avoid the pupation of thrips. The organisation’s guide also highlights the importance of keeping greenhouses free of weeds which the pest can take refuge in.
