Soil-borne diseases have become increasingly serious due to continuous planting. Soil fumigation may be inadequate because of the persistence of soil-borne pathogens on ginger seed rhizome. A combined strategy of soil fumigation and seed rhizome disinfection would be necessary to achieve synergistic control. In this study, the approach of soil fumigation with chloropicrin (CP) coupled with seed rhizome disinfection (Copper, Cu) was first adopted to evaluate the synergistic effects on soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities and microbial communities, and therefore reveal mechanisms for soil microecological health and crop yield promotion. The results showed the comprehensive strategy could reduce NO₃⁻-N content, and the activities of soil enzymes, while increased NH₄⁺-N content, EX-Cu, and OXI-Cu content, which were positively correlated with ginger yield but negatively correlated with soil-borne pathogens and plant mortality. On the other hand, there was a reduction in bacterial diversity and richness, which was positively correlated with the abundance of soil-borne pathogens. Moreover, some beneficial soil microorganisms’ relative abundance (such as Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacillus, and Sphingomonas.) was increased. The strategy decreased the abundance of Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora spp. by 49.41–90.07% and 43.34–89.21%, respectively. Compared with other treatments, the combination decreased the ginger mortality by 5.70–57.02% and increased the growth of ginger plants and yield by 3.58–139.96%, and 13.11–399.74%, respectively. This study highlights a prospect to promote ginger growth and yield by blocking the transmission of primary infection pathogens in ginger cultivation and improving soil ecological environment.

Luteolin, as one of the flavonoids, has demonstrated repellent and toxic effects on various insect pests; however, its influence on thrips development and fecundity remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of luteolin on the survival of a worldwide insect pest, the western flower thrips (WFT) (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande), its effects on WFT feeding and oviposition preferences, and its sublethal impacts on development and fecundity. Results showed that both adult and nymphal WFT mortality rates increased with luteolin concentration. In choice assays, luteolin exhibited repellent effects on nymphal feeding and adult oviposition. At a sublethal concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, luteolin significantly shortened the adult lifespan, and reduced fecundity, intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproductive rate (R₀), suppressing WFT population growth. This study demonstrates that luteolin has the potential to be developed as a botanical pesticide for thrips management, combining with toxic and reproduction-inhibiting activities.

Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagrall 1913) (MTU) is a major pest of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and shows a strong preference for floral tissues. To clarify the spatiotemporal distribution of thrips, we conducted a detailed survey of their abundance in flowers of different developmental stages—sampled in the morning (preanthesis flowers, PAF; open flowers, OPF; postanthesis flowers, PoAF) and at dusk (preanthesis flowers scheduled to open the next morning, PAF-D; closed flowers, CF). Behavioral responses of MTU to floral volatiles from these stages were evaluated using a Y-tube olfactometer, followed by chemical analysis via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicate that 58.3% of adults sheltered in keel petals, while 76.7% of nymphs aggregated inside the diadelphous stamens. Thrips abundance on OPF in the morning was significantly higher than on PAF or PoAF, but did not differ significantly from that on CF. Olfactometric assays demonstrated a clear preference of MTU for OPF, which emitted a greater number and higher concentrations of volatile compounds compared to PAF, PAF-D, CF, and PoAF. Together, these findings reveal distinct spatiotemporal dynamics of thrips in relation to cowpea flower development, underscoring the role of floral age in driving host-switching behavior.