Sustainable management of black thrips (Thrips parvispinus Karny) in chilli through integrated pest management

Black thrips (Thrips parvispinus Karny) is a serious sucking pest of chilli, causing flower drop, fruit deformation, and significant yield losses. Field demonstrations and on-farm trials were conducted during Rabi 2023-24 and 2024-25 in irrigated medium black soils of Telangana to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated pest management (IPM) modules. Experiments were designed A Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Results showed that the complete IPM module (T4) significantly reduced thrips populations, increased fruit yield (65.98 q/ha) compared to farmers’ practice (57.64 q/ha) and improved net returns (Rs. 99,250/ha vs Rs. 80,150/ha). Farmer feedback indicated good adoption potential. The study demonstrates that the complete IPM module is a sustainable and economically viable approach for managing black thrips in chilli under southern Indian conditions.