Here in Phoenix we have a large issue on thrip damage on nectarines. Its one of the few pests that we have problems with and can otherwise grow all our fruit no spray.
Looking to spray this next season to control thrips and get a decent nectarine crop for once. Does anyone out there have a chemical that are using on them that works particularly well?
@Olpea do you have a suggestion?
Spinosad is what I’ve used on blueberry.
Amadio,
We haven’t had any problems w/ thrips here (that I’ve been able to notice). I think thrips occur in more dry weather climates.
I’m sure Fruitnut has good advice because growing conditions are similar to yours. I would only add that if I were trying to control thrips w/ a Spinosyn class insecticide, I would go w/ Spintoram (i.e. Delegate). It is the synthetic counterpart of the organic compound Spinosad (i.e. Entrust, etc.)
Delegate is generally more lethal to target insects and doesn’t break down as fast. Delegate is not certified organic, like Entrust, but I don’t believe you are an organic grower anyway.
I came across an efficacy study of insecticide for thrips on the Web (in lettuce).
http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1177-1g.pdf
I didn’t read the whole study, but in the conclusion, they said Success was the best stand alone insecticide to control thrips. Success has the same active ingredient as Delegate.
Thanks for the suggestions! Yikes @Olpea! They dont give Delegate away do they?!? 
I might be able to justify it tho because it also is labeled for use on Western grape leaf skeletonizers (we have horrid problems with them).
Can anyone give suggestions on how to covert the label suggestions I often see for amount per acre over to ounces per gallon for my spray solution? Most labels will give a spot spray direction but this one doesnt.
I’m not a commercial grower, so I have taken the approach of living with some thrip damage. I can live with a few zipper scars on nectarines for now. I’ve shaken them off by hand and used water spray after petal fall, but can’t quantify that it makes much of a difference.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html
Our thrip damage is often much like or far worse than these picture I stole of the interweb. Its bad enough that if I dont find a solution this year they are getting top worked to peaches.
Amadio,
When I have to hand spray, I use what is typically recognized as a “full dilute” (i.e. spray to the point of run-off) gallonage for peach orchards (250 gal. per acre) in the calculations.
If you wanted to use the max. labeled rate of 7 oz. per acre, that would be (7 oz. divided by 250 gal. = 0.028 oz. of Delegate per gallon of water. As the label indicates, it might be helpful to add a surfactant.
Thank you, that is very helpful!
This is the first year that nectarines set much fruit so, I had not put much thought into there russet appearance until i read some threads here. I have what I think is Thrip damage not far from Olpea. Is there any fruit pest we don’t have in Kansas?
Lol, my thought exactly. Here in my neighborhood we can’t even raise no spray pears without significant insect damage. Apples are a complete no go with no spray. I’ve looked at unsprayed apple trees. 99% of the apples are generally marred beyond recognition and lots of worms.
Congrats on your nectarines. I’m down to one lone nectarine tree (Nectafest). It generally doesn’t produce well, but this year it has a decent crop. The fruit generally has exceptional flavor, which is why I haven’t removed it yet.
Your way ahead of me on the Kansas pest control learning curve. My orchards are just starting to come into real production. I am trapping Japanese Beetles this year so, I think the worst pest here will be Stink Bugs who swarm in just as the fruit is ripe. Any advise for stink bug control?
Glad to hear your orchards are starting to come into production. I know you’ve worked hard in making that happen.
Pyrethroids are generally pretty good against stink bug. They are a tough bug. Early and frequent sprays help minimize damage on my fruit. If there are bean fields nearby, that makes things harder, as they fly in from the fields.
In the past, I have had quite a lot of thrips damage, particularly on my Double Delight Nectarine, but it flowers and sets so heavily I could eliminate the damaged ones during thinning. Last year, a nursery advised me to use Captain Jacks Deadbug with Spinosad. I have been reluctant to use insecticides because I have bees. I was told to spray in the evening after petal fall and that seems to have worked for the nectarines, They did hit my Nectaplum rather hard, but again thinning eliminated the damaged ones.
About June 1 I had not yet sprayed my apples, when a friend called to tell me his were full of worms. I have 8 varieties of apples but only had 2 coddling moth traps which I put out immediately then started spraying with the Captain Jacks every 6 or 7 days. As of yesterday I have found only 3 apples with worm damage and threw them in the trash. I think the fact that I dispose of infected apples upon discovery reduces the numbers that overwinter. Keeping my fingers crossed, not sure if I can credit the Captain Jack’s or that I am just lucky so far.