STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO METHODS: MASS TRAPPING AND LEAF AND FRUITS REMOVAL FOR THE.......

The goal of this research is to find alternatives to chemical sprays for controlling the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae). Thus, two techniques: male mass trapping and cultural control, were examined in 2014 in two greenhouses planted with tomatoes during the time of peak insect activity from March to May. In plots where mass trapping was utilised, a high density of pheromone Jackson trap (120 per ha) was used, while in plots where cultural control was used, hand removal of T. absoluta damaged tomato leaves and fruits was done on a weekly basis.

Overall, the results demonstrated that both strategies were ineffective in reducing insect infestation when compared to control. At five sampling dates, respectively 7, 17, 21, 28, and 35 days after the setup of the experiment, the densities of T. absoluta biological stages (eggs, young larvae, and old larvae) and empty galleries per tomato leaflet did not differ between plots dedicated to mass trapping and cultural control compared to control. However, at day 42, a significant difference was found between treatments in terms of egg density, with the lowest density in mass trapping plots (averaging 0.240.76 eggs per leaflet) compared to cultural control (1.192.33) and check plots (4.20.47), implying that the mass trapping technique is more effective late in the season. Except for the initial harvesting day, the percentage of fruit infestation following three harvesting dates (on 24 March, 16 April, and 25 April 2014) revealed an average percentage of infestation of 45 percent for all plots with no significant differences among evaluated treatments. Mass trapping approach could be a future method of T. absoluta control, despite the lack of convincing proof, but more research is needed to take use of this technique.

Please see the link :- https://www.ikprress.org/index.php/JOGAE/article/view/734