Management of Vegetable Leaf Miner, Liriomyza Spp., (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Vegetable Crops

Abstract

Vegetables are considered high value crops based on their growing areas and productivity, even if they are affected by a variety of insect pests throughout the whole growing season. Leaf miner is an immature of an insect that lives inside and consumes the leaf tissues of vegetable plants. Adult females of leaf miner puncture the leaf with their ovipositor, forming tube pattern, and feed on the punctured parts. Host plants survey of leaf miner in Multan (Pakistan) area was conducted. Twenty host plants were found in 2017, whereas twenty-four host plants were found infested with Liriomyza spp. (Diptera) in 2022 i.e., watermelon (24% infestation), long melon (75%), pumpkin (71%), round gourd (67%), snake melon (70%), bitter gourd (50%), long gourd (89%), bottle gourd (93%), pointed gourd (80%), snap gourd (86%), ridge gourd (83%), cucumber (98%), mung bean (98%), eggplant (60%), Petunia alba (88%), Zinnia elegies (30%), cotton (10%), okra (5%), berseem (7%), tomato (89%), Pea (52%) and Canola (28%). No infestation of leaf miners was observed on potato, chilies, and sweet potatoes. Color attraction results in 2017 and 2022 showed that there was maximum attraction of tomato leaf miner towards yellow sticky cards as compared to blue sticky cards. Varietal preference of tomato crop showed that Baby red variety was the most preferred by leaf miner (Liriomyza spp.), and comparatively Sehar was the least preferred variety. Field efficacy of four different insecticides against leaf miner were also tested. Insecticidal effects attributed as percent reduction of leaf miner infestation that showed the highest reduction values were observed after 7 DOA for Spinetoram (76.98%), whereas Bifenthrin (57%). Deltaphos (43 %) was the least toxic insecticide against Liriomyza spp. Integrated approaches are recommended to manage vegetable leaf miner like application of yellow sticky traps, discouraging preferred host plants, application of insecticides with novel modes of actions like spintoram and spinosad for effective management.

Evaluation of insecticides performance for the management of leaf miners in Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

“…Pest population, percent leaf infestation of leaf miner was calculated after each spray. The cumulative mean of two sprays in rst and second season trials with pooled mean is calculated for the recorded pest, formula are used by Hamza et al (2023), as follows:…”

Safeguarding Tomato Cultivation: Challenges and Integrated Pest Management Strategies in North India

“…infestations can lead to the formation of characteristic serpentine mines on tomato leaves, affecting photosynthesis and overall plant health. Hamza et al [44] tested four insecticides against leaf miner, with Spinetoram showing the highest reduction after 7 DOA, followed by Bifenthrin at 57%. Deltaphos was the least toxic.…”

Pre-/Post-Harvest Pathogen-Control Strategies for Improving the Quality and Safety of Horticultural Plants

“…Javiana and Listeria monocytogenes from a soil-free cultivation matrix (i.e., hydroponic) to mature microgreens including sunflower and pea shoots [6]. Whereas insect pests are also known as one of the major causes of damage to horticultural plants during cultivation, Hamza et al [7] examine the biological relationship of leaf miners with their host plants and also evaluated the efficacy of insecticides to establish management strategies.…”