Evaluation of different traps for the invasive leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis in potato (Solanum tuberosum) fields of the Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Potatoes are currently threatened by the pea leaf miner (Liriomyza huidobrensis Blanchard), an exotic, exceedingly polyphagous, and chemically resistant pest that attacks a wide range of crops, ornamental plants, and weeds. The present work was conducted to study the attractiveness of various traps to Liriomyza leaf miner, one of the invasive pests recently observed in potato fields of Kotagiri and Ooty in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. A trial was conducted at these two different locations, the Nilgiris district, in 2021. The results revealed that among different traps tested for their efficacy in attracting the leaf miner, L. huidobrensis, yellow sticky trap was found to be more efficient in attracting adult leaf miner flies with the mean trap catches of 40.49 and 36.64 adult flies/ 10 cm2 areas at Kotagiri and Ooty respectively. The peak population of leaf miners was recorded in the last week of April (45.67 adult flies/ 10 cm2 areas) at Ooty and during the 3rd week of June (52.33 adult flies/ 10 cm2 areas) at Kotagiri. The correlation study revealed a significant positive correlation of the trap catches with maximum temperature, diurnal variation (DV) and growing day degrees (GDD). Multiple regression equation was also developed, where the abiotic factors contributed 46.1% and 65.5% to the Liriomyza leaf miner population fluctuation in the potato ecosystem. The trappers may be used to determine the initial presence of a leaf miners’ population and in projecting their future population through pest management models and management decisions.