Fig. 3.

Identification of thrips vectors collected from different crops using multiplex assay. Thrips were collected from brinjal, chilli, onion, lettuce, groundnut, and mungbean plants. Multiplex PCR assay using all four thrips vector-specific primer pairs was performed with DNA templates of thrips collected from different crops. Lane 1, 11: 100 bp plus DNA ladder; Lane 2, 12: water control; Lane 3, 13: multiplex PCR products with mixed templates of all four thrips vectors as positive control; Lane 4–10, 14, 15: multiplex PCR product with template of thrips collected from soybean (4), mungbean (5), groundnut (6), brinjal (7), chilli (8), lettuce (9), onion (10), tomato (14), and watermelon (15). The multiplex PCR assay showed two amplicons of 713 bp and 568 bp with DNA templates of thrips collected from soybean and mungbean plants indicating mixed infestation of S. dorsalis and T. palmi. A product of 713 bp with template of thrips vectors collected from groundnut, chilli, and watermelon plants confirmed the presence of S. dorsalis. Amplification of 568 bp product with thrips templates of brinjal, lettuce, and tomato indicated the presence of T. palmi, whereas T. tabaci was identified from onion producing 388 bp band