How to manage thrips in onion (pyaaz)?

Thrips are the most damaging onion pest; they rasp the leaves giving silvery white streaks, curling and drying tips, and reduce bulb size. Scout regularly because they hide in leaf axils. Use blue sticky traps to monitor, keep the field weed free, and avoid water stress since dry hot spells worsen thrips. For sprays, rotate insecticide groups to avoid resistance, for example fipronil, spinosad or a recommended systemic, and always add a sticker because onion leaves repel water. Direct the spray into the central whorl where thrips sit. Neem oil at 3 to 5 ml per litre helps in low pressure and as part of an IPM rotation. Adequate potash and avoiding excess nitrogen improve plant tolerance. Stick to the label dose and pre harvest interval on whatever insecticide you use.