Beans resistant to megalurothrips usitatus insect eating the bean flower

Hello out there - Cuba has a major disaster with this thrip. It has been around for a long time, but this year is devastating the bean crop - thousands of ha have had to be ploughed under.

If you have beans which are known to be resistant to this insect - please let me know and I will pass on the information.

Thank you so much

Not that I know anything for sure, but I would do trials with Jack bean and Velvet bean (and maybe Lablab and pigeon pea). Jack Bean and Velvet Bean need pretreatment for consumption, though…

Try JB is what I know that it is not destroyed by common bean weevil.

Richard K

A quick google search turns up:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09670878809371238

Mechanism of resistance in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) genotype, TVx 3236, to the Bean Flower Thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti

might be good for a start.

Thank you - I will pass it on to the University which is searching for a solution. Fortunately we have lots of researchers and lots of very qualified people looking at causes and solutions. Unfortunately this insect has destroy thousands of hectares of beans - which are one of our major food sources - and the embargo against Cuba by the US makes it expensive to get replacements!