Molecular diagnosis of native and quarantine pest thrips (Thysanoptera,Thripidae) of southern European citrus orchards .

The ITS-RFLP technique of the amplified internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA has been used to establish the molecular identification of the most common pest thrips species of citrus orchards. Both native and quarantine thrips species have been tested and molecular keys are proposed through ITS-RFLP techniques. The restriction enzymes produced patterns that allowed unambiguous identification of seven thrips species examined (visual key). The sequences of species can also be verified using a molecular key that permits identification of a species through such parameters as primer pair used, restriction enzyme, length of PCR-product, fragments obtained. This study has shown that the use of genetic markers can be a valid alternative for quarantine workers and for epidemiological researchers, to whom the correct identification of pest species through classic morphological methods could be either very difficult and time-consuming or visually impossible.