September 2002. In recent weeks, the Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia, are finding an increasing amount of damage on capsicum fruits. Symptoms are silvery patches in the fruit surface, mainly below the calyx as well as at the base of the fruit. It is suspected that thrips are the cause, but in some farms the damage is seen although there are few or no thrips present.

Members considered that the damage is most likely caused by thrips, mite or even leafhopper. But it is likely to have occurred when the fruit was very small, so there may be none of the causative agent on the mature capsicums. This damage can be associated with a dry (dusty) period and, if this is the case, misting the flowers and young fruit with a fine water spray may be all that is needed.

Later, the western flower thrip, Frankliniella occidentalis was identified on the capsicum.