Control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in greenhouse tomato crops using the mating disruption technique

Abstract

The effectiveness of mating disruption to control the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in greenhouse tomato crops was evaluated in four trials carried out in winter–spring and summer–winter growing seasons in Southwestern Sardinia (Italy). Pheromone dispensers loaded with 60 mg of the natural blend of the major and minor sex pheromone component (rate 90 : 10) were applied in disrupted greenhouses at a rate of 1000/ha (60 g of active ingredient/ha). Male captures in monitoring pheromone traps, percentage of tomato plants infested by T. absoluta and damage on leaves and fruits were monitored weekly and compared in disrupted and untreated (control) greenhouses. In greenhouses disrupted with 1000 dispensers/ha, a reduction of 93–97% in male trap captures was observed, compared with control. Leaf damage was significantly lower in greenhouses disrupted with 1000 dispensers/ha than in control ones, with a reduction of infestation throughout the growing season ranging from 57% to 85%. Pheromone dispensers applied at the density of 1000/ha significantly reduced the percentage of damaged fruits by 62–89%. In control greenhouses, the highest damage on leaves and fruits was generally observed in edge plants, while leaf and fruit infestation was uniformly distributed in pheromone‐treated greenhouses, indicating an even distribution of the pheromone cloud inside the greenhouse. Mating disruption showed to be an efficient strategy to control in greenhouse the tomato leafminer and can be included in the overall tomato integrated pest management programs.

Oviposition deterrent activity of basil plants and their essentials oils against Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

“…For example, the use of certain Miridae as Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur or Dicyphus maroccanus Wagner appears to be a reliable biological alternative for the control of T. absoluta (Urbaneja et al 2013;Abbas et al 2014;Jaworski et al 2015). Until now, prophylactic methods (Urbaneja et al 2013) supplemented with pheromone traps (Filho et al 2000;Vacas et al 2011;Cocco et al 2013) have facilitated the development of a reliable and sustainable form of management of T. absoluta. In addition to the methods mentioned above, plant breeding could be a promising approach for T. absoluta management also.…”

Uso da técnica de confusão sexual no manejo populacional de Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) em videira

“…Entretanto, assim como os resultados aqui apresentados, outros trabalhos também têm mostrado resultados satisfatórios, quanto à eficiência da técnica de confusão sexual, em diversas pragas agrícolas, tais como: Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), nas culturas de pêssego (Härter et al, 2010) e maçã (Pastori, 2007;Monteiro et al, 2013); Bonagota salubricola (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Pastori, 2007) e Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Ashraf et al, 2007), em maçã; Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae), em videira (Vassiliou, 2009); Zeuzera pyrina (L.) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), em oliveiras (Hegazi et al, 2010); Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), em algodão (Unlu & Mezreli, 2011); e Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), na cultura do tomate (Cocco et al, 2013).…”

Chenopodium album L. : A new host plant of Tuta absoluta Povolny (Lep.: Gelechiidae)

“…T. absoluta was originally described in 1917 in Peru by Meyrick (1917) and now it is found all tomato planted areas in South America (Desneux et al, 2010). T. absoluta was first recorded in Europe in 2006 in Spain (Urbaneja et al, 2007) and then spread rapidly to all Mediterranean countries, North Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, Lithuania) and Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq) (Cocco et al, 2013;Garzia et al, 2012). T. absoluta was added in 2004 to the EPPO A1 action list of pests recommended for regulation as quarantine pests and in 2009 transfer to the A2 list (EPPO, 2009).…”

“…(Galarza, 1984;Pereyra & Sánchez, 2006;Desneux et al, 2010;Cocco et al, 2013). Reported hosts for T. absoluta up to now are listed in Table 1 The objective of this study is to determine the secondary hosts which the pest can feed, develop and reproduce during the absence of tomato.…”