Diversity of thrips in the tropical region of Hainan Island in southern China and the ecological associations of thrips with viral epidemics in cucurbits and other vegetables

Thrips are major vectors of plant viruses, and such viruses are key pests in cucurbits and vegetables. However, research is lacking on the diversity of viromes carried by thrips and their ecological associations with viral epidemics in specific crops. In this study, we first identified the thrips populations in tropical regions and then conducted in-depth virome analysis using high-throughput sequencing. Finally, we explored the correlation between the occurrence of plant viruses in cucurbits and other vegetables and the abundance of thrips populations. We found that the dominant thrips associated with these crops in tropical regions are Frankliniella intonsa, Thrips palmi, and Megalurothrips usitatus. Using high-throughput sequencing, we identified 19 viruses in these thrips in our survey, including several previously unknown viruses, such as one double-stranded RNA virus and multiple positive-sense and negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses. Additionally, the detection rates of certain of these plant viruses (MYSV, WSMoV, and TeMV) in cucurbits and other vegetables were significantly correlated with the abundance of thrips populations on the crops. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of the ecological relationships between thrips and plant viruses in cucurbits and other vegetables, and it offers theoretical guidance for developing precise strategies for disease control.