Abstract
Whiteflies, the tomato borer and leafminers are among the major pests of greenhouse tomatoes in Spain. Macrolophuspygmaeus (Heteroptera, Miridae) and Nesidiocoris tenuis are polyphagous predators of whiteflies, the tomato borer and other pests. Diglyphus isaea (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) is an ectoparasite of leafminers. These three natural enemies are commonly released in the commercial horticultural greenhouses of south-eastern Spain. Emamectin benzoate is a new semi-synthetic derivative of the avermectin B1 developed for Lepidoptera pest control in vegetable crops, with requested inclusion in annex I of the EU directive 91/414/EEC. As for any new insecticide that is being introduced for its use in protected tomato, it is critical to understand the level of compatibility of emamectin in frontof those major biological control agents. Potted tomato plants kept in a greenhouse were sprayed with the highestrecommended field rate of emamectin benzoate (14.25 mg L–1), and the toxicity of fresh and 7-day-old residues toadults of the three biological control agents were studied to ascertain their compatibility. The results demonstrated thecompatibility of both fresh and 7-day-old residues with the three species of natural enemies.
Highlights
Whiteflies, the tomato borer and leafminers are among the major pests of greenhouse tomatoes in Spain
Spain is an important producer of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), with a total cultivated area of 62,512 ha in 2009, of which approximately 20,000 ha are protected crops located in the South East (MARM, 2009)
Among the key pests of tomato plants in this region are the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), which is the vector of the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (Gabarra et al, 2006; Calvo et al, 2008), and the tomato borer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), which was recently introduced in the country (Urbaneja et al, 2009)
Summary
Whiteflies, the tomato borer and leafminers are among the major pests of greenhouse tomatoes in Spain. The purpose of our study was to test the compatibility of emamectin with adults of the three selected natural enemies under semi-field conditions.
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