Frankliniella occidentalis has been reported as one of the major pests associated with strawberry. However, the symptoms of insect attack are not characterized and their presence are related to deformed fruits. The injury caused by F. occidentalis in strawberries was studied by infesting flowers, unripe and ripe fruits with 20 adult for five days and during all the ripening period inoculating 20 adults each five days. In flowers, it was observed that F. occidentalis feeding caused damage in the stamens and floral receptacle. In the unripe and ripe fruits it was observed russeting on the fruits basis, under the calyx and around the achenes. In the treatment where the insects were maintained during all the ripening period, only 17.6% of the fruits showed more than 40% of the area with russeting. Insect feeding causes russet in unripe and ripe fruits and fruit deformation are not associated with thrips presence of deformation.
Fragaria x ananassa; fruit deformations; russet; thrips
