IMPACT OF WEED FLORA ON APHID AND THRIPS OCCURRENCE IN PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L.) IN THE STRUMICA REGION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46763/JAPS26241101sKeywords:
weeds, alternative hosts, reservoirs, weed density, Galinsoga parviflora Cav., Chenopodium album Linn.Abstract
During 2024 and 2025, a research at two localities in the Strumica region (Kuklish and Borievo) was conducted in order to determine the qualitative composition of weed vegetation, their density and their role as reservoirs for aphids and thrips. Weed surveys were conducted using 1 m² plots randomly placed around pepper fields, while aphid and thrips occurrence was assessed through regular visual inspections during the growing season. A total of ten weed species belonging to nine botanical families were identified in Kuklish and eight species in Borievo, around pepper fields. The most dominant species in both localities in 2024 were Galinsoga parviflora Cav., Chenopodium album Linn., and Amaranthus retroflexus L. In 2025, the dominant species in Kuklish were G. parviflora, C. album, and Cyperus rotundus L., while in Borievo they were G. parviflora, C. album, and Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Weed density was higher in Kuklish than in Borievo, reaching 81.6 ± 11.19 and 62.0 ± 9.08 plants/m² in 2024, and 83.4 ± 15.69 and 70.8 ± 5.63 plants/m² in 2025, respectively. Aphids and thrips were recorded on both weeds and pepper plants, with higher infestation levels observed in Kuklish than in Borievo during both years. The number of infested pepper plants varied during the growing season. In both years of research and at both locations, thrips were more abundant than aphids. The results of the research showed that there was a strong positive correlation between the density and the abundance of aphids and thrips, especially thrips (r=0.823, p<0.001) and aphids (r=0.747, p<0.001), suggesting that weeds may act as alternative hosts for aphids and thrips. Therefore, effective weed management should be considered an important component of integrated pest management strategies in pepper production.
References
Abozaid, E., Mahmoud, M., Elhaj, M., Mohamed, S., Ekesi, S. (2015, March). Host plants record for tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in Sudan. EPPO Bulletin. 45 (1).
Altieri, M.A. (1999). The ecological role of biodiversity in agroecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 74, 19–31.
Capinera, J.L. (2005). Relationships between insect pests and weeds: an evolutionary perspective. Weed Science, 53 (6): 892–901.
Chandrasena, G.D.S.N., Jayawardane, J.D.K.M., Umange, S.D., Gunawardana, A.D.B.U. (2016). Host range of panicle rice mite Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in Sri Lanka. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research. 4(1): 21–24.
Gaba, S., Fried, G., Kazakou, E., Chauvel, B., & Navas, M.L. (2014). Agroecological weed control using a functional approach: a review of cropping systems diversity. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 34, 103–119.
Gonzalez, C.F., Xu, G.W., Li, H.L., Cosper, J.W. (1991). Leersia hexandra, an alternative host for Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae in Texas. Plant Disease. 75(2): 159–162.
Lewis, T. (1997). Thrips as Crop Pests. CAB International, Wallingford. Pp. 736
Nault, L.R., & Ammar, E.D. (1989). Leafhopper and planthopper transmission of plant viruses. Annual Review of Entomology, 34, 503–529.
P.G.M. Piron. (2017). New associations between aphids and host plants in the Netherlands (Aphidoidea). Entomologische Berichten, 77(4), 200–214.
Pal, R.K., Kumar, M., Singh, R., Srivastrava, A., Bisen, K. (2012). Weeds as reservoirs of crop pathogens and pests: implications for integrated management. International journal of food and nutritional sciences. 1151-1164.
Pearson, K. (1895). Note on regression and inheritance in the case of two parents. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 58, 240–242.
Shahzad, R. K., Hasnain, M., Naeem, M., Aslam, M., Sangi, A., Khan, S. (2013). Cotton whitefly: Bemisia tabaci. Plantwise Factsheets for Farmers. 20147801355
Shi, Xb., Zhang, Z., Li, F., Preisser, E., Huang, Lp., Zhang, Dy., Zhang, Zh., Zhang, Sb., Zhou, Xg., Zhang, As., Liu, H., Wu, Yh., Cheng, Xf., He, Zi, Liu, Y. (2023). Vector-mediated viral exchange between crops and weedy plants. Journal of Pest Science. 97. 1-17.
Singh, R.& Singh, G. (2016). Aphids and their biocontrol. Ecofriendly Pest Management for Food Security (Ed. Omkar). Academic Press. pp. 63–108.
Singh, S.K., Khurma, U.R., Lockhart, P.J. (2010). Weed hosts of root–knot nematodes and their distribution in Fiji. Weed Technology. 24 (4): 607–612.
Smith, Erik. (2011). Weed hosts for onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and their potential role in the epidemiology of Iris Yellow Spot Virus in an onion ecosystem. Environmental Entomology. 40. 194-203.
Sokal, R.R., & Rohlf, F.J. (1995). Biometry: The principles and practice of statistics in biological research (3rd ed.). W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
Stoyanova, S. (2025, March). Weeds as hosts of diseases and pests of cultivated plants. Magazine for Plant Protection, Seeds, Fertilizers and Agriculture.
Student [W.S. Gosset]. (1908). The probable error of a mean. Biometrika, 6(1), 1–25.
Todevska, D. (2025). Vegetable production in protected area. Stip, Republic of Macedonia: “Goce Delcev” University.
Webb, S.E., Adkins, S., Reitz, S.R. (2012). Semi–persistent whitefly transmission of squash vein yellowing virus, causal agent of viral watermelon vine decline. Plant Disease, 96(6): 839–844
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dusan Spasov, Nikola Spasov, Dragica Spasova, Sasa Mitrev, Emilija Arsov, Biljana Atanasova, Biljana Kovacevik, Mite Ilievski
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The intellectual property and copyright on the original content of all scientific contributions in the published paper shall remain with the authors. Authors give permission to the JAPS owner to publish the paper. All authors agree to publish the paper under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
