Species Richness and Host-Plant Diversity of Genus Thrips (Thysanoptera:Insecta) in Kashmir Valley

The genus Thrips belongs to insect order Thysanoptera, sub-under Terebrantia and family Thripidae. The various species belonging to this genus are minute insects, gregarious in nature and feed on different parts of hostplants, viz., leaves, flowers fruit, etc., resulting in withering, browning and occasionally death of leaves. Some species, like Thrips tabaci, are also known to transmit spotted wilt virus disease. The previous records of thrips species, belonging to genus Thrips from the Kashmir valley, have been provided by Singh (1946), Bhatti (1980), Bhagat and Lone (1986, 1991 and 1991a), Bhat (1991) and, Lone and Bhagat (1990 and 1991).