author(s)
Abid Showkat, Parveena Bano, Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khan, Showket A Dar, Nazir A Bhat, KR Dar and Zakir S Khan

abstract
Thrips of Kashmir region on apple crop have been poorly studied despite their significance as far as the importance of crop in our valley is concerned. So, in this regard a research trial was carried out on Life Cycle and Biology of Blossom Thrips on Apple in Kashmir during 2016 and 2017. The studies on biology revealed that the life cycle of the pest have several developmental stages: egg, first and second larva instar, prepupa, pupa and adult. All the stages of the pest except pre pupa and pupa were sampled from apple tree and were taken to laboratory for examination. For pre pupa and pupa, samples consisted of four 320 cm² subsamples, with three samples per orchard. The four subsamples consisted of the top 2 cm of the soil lying near the canopy of the plant. All the four subsamples were collected within a 2 m radius and placed together in labeled plastic bags. Thrips were extracted into a 70% ethanol and 1% formaldehyde solution in Berlese funnels (60-W bulb) for 3 days and subsequently enumerated and identified. Egg hatches in 1- 2 days’ time, nympal and pupal period lasts for 8- 9 days and 3-4 days respectively. The adults survive for 6-8 days. The thrip thus completes its life cycle in 15-17 days on apple. The thrip survives for three successive generations on apple from mid-march up to ending April. After completing all the three generations on apple, the thrip then moves over to alternate hosts like Matricaria chamomilla, Ranunculus acris, and Ageratum conyzoides and feed on these flowering weeds till the onset of November and go far hibernation in crevices, under the weeds debris and in the soil. The thrip comes up again from the hibernation process in the form of adult and resumes its life cycle again.