Tomato Leafminer Tuta Absoluta Research Articles

Propensity of Three Tunisian Populations of the Tomato LeafminerTuta absoluta(Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) for Deuterotokous Parthenogenetic Reproduction

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick 1917 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a major pest of tomato Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus 1753 (Solanales: Solanaceae) crops in Tunisia and the Western Palaearctic region. Current control programmes to manage this moth in greenhouses and open field tomato cultivations include, among others, pheromone-based strategies through male annihilation, mating disruption, and lure and kill technique. Despite recent advances in the efficiencies of pheromone lures and traps, low or moderate control has often been reported by researchers and growers. In 2012 the first known case of parthenogenesis in T. absoluta was reported in a French population of the pest. Although such reproduction mode was not proven to occur in nature, this discovery raised many concerns about the future of pheromones for the control of this moth, since their use is absolutely dependent on the assumption that the pest can only reproduce sexually. In this paper, we report the ability of three Tunisian populations of T. absoluta to reproduce asexually under laboratory conditions by assessing age-specific and total female fecundity, egg viability and adult longevity. Also, we discuss the possible implications for IPM programmes targeting this pest.

The Impact of Hexane and Ethanol Extracts of Jatropha Seeds, Arqel Stems and Malathion on Mortality and Fecundity of Tomato Leaf Miner Tuta Absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The effects of hexane and ethanol organic extracts of jatropha Jatropha curcas seeds, argel (Solenostemma argel (Del.) stem and malathion on mortality and fecundity of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta were evaluated under laboratory conditions at a temperature of 27 ± 2c and a relative humidity of 30 ± 5%. Two-day old adults were tested against four different concentrations of each extract. The mortality results showed that all tested concentrations gave significantly higher mortality percentage than that of the control. The LC50 values of the ethanolic extract of jatropha seeds after 24, 48 and 72 hrs of exposure were 6.406, 2.278 and 2.493 respectively whereas those of the hexane extract were 6.219, 5.629 and 3.139 respectively. The results also showed that the LC50 values obtained by jatropha seeds ethanolic extracts after 48 and 72 hours were lower than their counterparts of the hexane extract which may be suggest that the active ingredient in jatropha seeds is easily extracted in ethanol rather than in hexane. The LC50 values of ethanol extracts of argel stems after 24, 48 and 72 hrs were 17.716, 8.336 and 6.860 respectively whereas those of the hexane extract were 26.191, 26.191 and 13.571 respectively. The mortality results generated by the 15% hexane and ethanol extract of both jatropha seeds were not significantly different from the standard, malathion, after 48 and 72 hrs of exposure which indicates the potency of these extracts. The results also showed that all tested concentrations of hexane and ethanol extracts of both jatropha seeds and argel stems resulted in a significantly lower fecundity of the treated insects than that of the control; however, there was no significant difference in fecundity among insects treated with different concentrations.

Report of A Larval Parasitoid of Tuta Absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from Iran

Abstract The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is one of the most devastating pests of greenhouse and outdoor tomato crops. Since it is a newly introduced pest in Iran, there is an important need to search for its natural enemies. In the course of a survey on the natural enemies of this pest, samplings were carried out in tomato greenhouses heavily infested with the tomato leafminer, in the Borazjan region of the Bushehr province in Iran. Leaves with mines were reared in the laboratory until emergence of parasitoids. A single parasitoid species of the family Eulophidae was reared and identified as Neochrysocharis formosus (Westwood 1833). This species is reported for the first time on the tomato leafminer in Iran. Such information may help in developing biological control programs to control this serious pest.

Insecticide toxicity and walking response of three pirate bug predators of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta

Abstract The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta is a key pest of the tomato and is of global significance. Insecticide is the primary method for controlling this pest, requiring a search for compounds with a low toxicity to nontarget organisms. We assessed the toxicity of eight insecticides to T. absoluta and its pirate bug predators Orius tristicolor, Amphiareus constrictus and Blaptostethus pallescens (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). We also assessed the effect of insecticide synergists on their toxicity to the predators, as well as their walking response to insecticide exposure. All insecticides, with the exception of methamidophos, exhibited the minimum efficacy threshold required by the Brazilian legislation (80% efficacy) at concentrations lower than the registered label rates. Indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole exhibited a lower toxicity to the pirate bug predators than to the tomato leaf miner. The results obtained with the synergized insecticides suggest the involvement of cytochrome P450‐dependent monooxygenases as the primary detoxification enzymes minimizing insecticide toxicity in the pirate bug predators. The insecticides led to a reduction in predator walking activity, especially abamectin and indoxacarb, which significantly minimized predator exposure. The results of the present study indicate that novel insecticides, especially chlorantraniliprole, are better suited to sustainable integrated management programmes of the tomato leaf miner.

An immunological method for granulovirus detection in larvae of Tuta absoluta: searching for isolates with prospects for biological control of this pest in Colombia

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta is an important insect pest of tomato crops worldwide. Biological control using entomopathogenic viruses such as isolates of Phthorimaea operculella granulovirus (PhopGV) can be a promising tool for suitably controlling this pest. However to date, few viral isolates from T. absoluta have been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop an economic, fast and accurate immunological technique for granulovirus detection and to evaluate viral presence in T. absoluta larvae from field samples collected in Colombia. Polyclonal antibodies against PhopGV were produced by using hens and rabbits. The production system in hen was selected as the most efficient and simple method. Then, a dot-blot test was developed, demonstrating the ability of antibodies to recognize granulovirus. Finally, granulovirus presence in 1186 T. absoluta larvae collected in the most important tomato production areas in Colombia was evaluated, and eight isolates were found in Boyacá and Cundinamarca (0.7% of occurrence). These results constitute the first report of a granulovirus isolated from T. absoluta larvae which had been naturally infected in Colombia's tomato producing-fields, and thereby validates the use of the immunological technique to detect granulovirus in field conditions.

Population Development of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under Simulated UK Glasshouse Conditions.

Tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is a major pest of tomato plants in South America. It was first recorded in the UK in 2009 where it has been subjected to eradication policies. The current work outlines T. absoluta development under various UK glasshouse temperatures. The optimum temperature for Tuta development ranged from 19–23 °C. At 19 °C, there was 52% survival of T. absoluta from egg to adult. As temperature increased (23 °C and above) development time of the moth would appear to decrease. Population development ceases between 7 and 10 °C. Only 17% of eggs hatched at 10 °C but no larvae developed through to adult moths. No eggs hatched when maintained at 7 °C. Under laboratory conditions the total lifespan of the moth was longest (72 days) at 13 °C and shortest (35 days) at both 23 and 25 °C. Development from egg to adult took 58 days at 13 °C; 37 days at 19 °C and 23 days at 25 °C. High mortality of larvae occurred under all temperatures tested. First instar larvae were exposed on the leaf surface for approximately 82 minutes before fully tunnelling into the leaf. Adult longevity was longest at 10 °C with moths living for 40 days and shortest at 19 °C where they survived for 16 days. Generally more males than females were produced. The potential of Tuta absoluta to establish populations within UK protected horticulture is discussed.

Potential for combined use of parasitoids and generalist predators for biological control of the key invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) has recently invaded Mediterranean countries and is a major pest in tomato crops. Trichogrammatid oophagous parasitoids have shown promising potential for controlling the pest before the yield decreases in the greenhouse. In protected tomato crops (greenhouse), mirid predators are commonly used for biological control of whiteflies and they also prey on T. absoluta. These predators do not attack Trichogramma adults but they may partially decrease the overall impact of parasitoids on T. absoluta if intraguild predation (IGP) occurs on parasitized eggs. Under laboratory conditions, we tested if the mirid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus shows preference between parasitized and unparasitized T. absoluta eggs. We also tested if the predator reduces the number of parasitized eggs on caged tomato plants (microcosms) and assessed the efficacy of natural enemies used alone or together in limiting T. absoluta populations. We found that IGP is inflicted on the parasitoid Trichogramma achaeae by M. pygmaeus and that the risk of IGP depends on the developmental stage of T. achaeae inside the egg because the larva is at risk mostly early in its development (when parasitized egg is still yellow). In addition, we observed that non-consumptive events, likely probing of the predator on parasitized eggs, may induce mortality in parasitoid offspring without actual feeding on parasitized eggs. However, both IGP and non-consumptive events decreased when the predator was not confined with parasitized eggs in small arenas. Despite negative effects of the predator to the parasitoid, results demonstrate that adding Trichogramma parasitoids may significantly increase the level of control of the pest over what could be attained when only the mirid predator M. pygmaeus is present on tomato. Implications of results are discussed regarding potential of these natural enemies for biological control of T. absoluta in greenhouse tomato crops.

Azadirachtin avoidance by larvae and adult females of the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta is a serious worldwide threat to tomato production and its control in open-field tomato has relied heavily on synthetic insecticides, which however are not allowed in organic tomato cultivation. Furthermore, insecticide resistance to synthetic insecticides is already a major concern in populations of the tomato leafminer. Azadirachtin is one of the main biorational pesticides in use today, particularly in organic farming, and has potential as an alternative to conventional insecticides for such use. However, the effects of neem-based products of high azadirachtin content on the tomato leafminer have been little studied and very little is known of their sublethal behavioral effects on this pest species. Here we assessed the insecticidal effect of a commercial neem-based formulation (as a source of azadirachtin) against two populations of the tomato leafminer and its behavioral effects on egg-laying preferences, walking by larvae and leaf-mining. Azadirachtin caused heavy mortality in insect larvae allowing only 2.5–3.5% survival at the Brazilian recommended field-concentration (i.e., 27 mg a.i./L) with negligible difference between the populations tested. Azadirachtin also caused egg-laying avoidance (under free-choice conditions, but not in no-choice conditions) and affected walking by larvae, but not leaf-mining. These results indicate the potential of azadirachtin not only as an insecticide potentially important for organic farming, but also as an egg-laying deterrent minimizing T. absoluta infestation although it may also favor escape by larvae to exposure since it sparks behavioral avoidance.

Population Density of Tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae) under plastic houses conditions (b)

The aim of this work was to investigate the population density and infestation percentage of Tuta absoluta on tomato crop Lycopersicum esculentum Mill under plastic houses conditions in two locations at Duhok province ( 36° 54' N, 43° 8' E )/ Kurdistan region/ northern of Iraq in 2012. The average number of mines/ leaflet and larvae/ leaf during the study season were 1.36 and 0.42 respectively. The results showed a significant differences in number of mines/leaflet and number of males/trap among the two locations. In spite of that the pest management strategies were weekly applied by farmers and based largely on chemical applications (Insecticide) which targeted to controlling T. absoluta and other lepidopteran pests (Noctuidae: Heliothinae), a high percentage of infestation was recorded in September as 100% and 72% for Summel and Zawita respectively. A maximum number of males/ trap/ week was 56.66 recorded on 10/9/2012 in Summel . Keywords: Tuta absoluta, population dynamics, Tomato, Kurdistan region-Iraq.

Spatial and temporal variation in the control failure likelihood of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta

AbstractInsecticide resistance is frequently associated with field control failure, but such an assessment of its likelihood seldom occurs. This phenomenon is a potential cause of the control failure of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae); therefore we surveyed insecticide resistance as the control failure likelihood for a duration of 7 years in 20 field populations of this species. The insecticide label rate was used as the discriminating concentration, and the minimum efficacy threshold required for insecticides in Brazil (i.e. 80% efficacy) was the targeted efficacy. The spatial and temporal variations of the control failure likelihood were also assessed, as was the potential influence of land topography for the area‐wide pattern observed. Most populations of T. absoluta were susceptible to abamectin, chlorfenapyr and spinosad and not to bifenthrin, triflumuron and teflubenzuron. The indoxacarb susceptibility varied in space and time. Spatial dependence was observed for abamectin and indoxacarb. The control failure likelihood of T. absoluta was higher for bifenthrin, triflumuron and teflubenzuron. A flat topography and the wind direction may favour the spread of the control failure likelihood and should be considered in designing pest management programs for T. absoluta.

Tomato leafminer – Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) – current status in Montenegro

Tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta was detected for the first time in Montenegro using pheromone traps in the middle of July 2010, in greenhouses in one location at the Montenegrin sea coast. In the period from the end of July to the first week of August, moths were captured in pheromone traps from other locations along the sea coast and surroundings of the city of Podgorica. According to the survey carried out by the authors from July to September 2010, T. absoluta was present in greenhouses in all tomato‐producing areas, while outdoors it was found only in the coastal area. Monitoring of T. absoluta continued in 2011. Pheromone traps were set up in five locations in the main tomato‐producing areas, both in greenhouses and outdoors, between 4 and 15 May. The first captured moths were detected after 7–15 days in all inspected locations, and captures continued until the end of September. According to the number of captured moths and the damage observed, it can be concluded that the population level in 2011 was lower in comparison with 2010, when up to 100% losses were detected in tomato crops in several locations. In 2011, tomato producers were already being informed about the pest and means of control, so most of them applied cultural and chemical control measures.

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in Tunisia: current status and management strategies

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) was first identified in the region of Akkouda in October 2008 before it spread to all tomato‐producing areas in Tunisia. The introduction of this pest disturbed existing pest control programmes in greenhouses and open fields, forcing Tunisian growers to use more chemicals to reduce its impact on their crops. A national programme was adopted to control T. absoluta, including cultural practices, the use of pheromones, the installation of insect‐proof screens in greenhouses, and the use of organic insecticides including Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki (Bt) and plant extract‐based products. In addition, a few experiments in biological control, using the predatory Mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) and the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma cacoeciae Marchal (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), were conducted in greenhouses and open‐field crops (producing tomatoes for fresh consumption as well as for processing). This paper describes the status of T. absoluta in Tunisia, including data collected from sex pheromone traps installed in six tomato‐producing areas (Takelssa, Korba, Teboulba, Bekalta, Sousse and Kairouan) between 2009 and 2011, and control strategies in greenhouses and open fields.

Genetic Variability of the Tomato Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta Meirick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in Tunisia, Inferred from RAPD-PCR

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta Meyrick has invaded tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop in Tunisia since 2008 and is representing today a major threat to the production of this crop. In this study, we used the Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) technology to assess the genetic variability within and among seven populations of T. absoluta, collected on tomato from different regions in Tunisia. Using five RAPD-PCR primers and 108 individuals, 140 polymorphic fragments were recorded. From 335 different RAPD phenotypes generated, 71 were redundant and 264 unique to a specific population. The genetic structure of T. absoluta was investigated using analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), genetic distances (Fst) and multidimensional scaling (MDS). We detected a high genetic diversity within and among populations in conjunction with a significant differentiation between populations, suggesting that different founder genotypes would have been responsible of the introduction of T. absoluta in Tunisia. The presence of overlapping phenotypes probably indicates migration events between populations, mainly through infested plant material carried by humans.

Egg exposure to pyriproxyfen in the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta: ovicidal activity or behavioural‐modulated hatching mortality?

AbstractInsecticide susceptibility varies with the insect life stage and although the egg stage is sometimes perceived as the most vulnerable, it is a difficult target for insecticide application and little studied as such. Egg susceptibility to insecticides is generally considered important for insect growth regulators and insect pests of reduced mobility like leaf miners because of their placement on the host plant part targeted by the insecticidal application. The egg exposure to the juvenile hormone mimic pyriproxyfen was studied here in the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a key tomato insect pest, aiming to assess if mortality is achieved due to insecticide ovicidal activity or due to behavioural impairment of the larvae preventing egg hatching. Survival analysis of treated tomato leaves and/or eggs indicated the importance of egg exposure to pyriproxyfen leading to a significant decrease in survival with a nearly 50% reduction in survival time, which peaked at the first instar. Ovicidal activity of pyriproxyfen in the tomato leaf miner was negligible, but image recording and behaviour analysis indicated behavioural impairment of larval activity compromising hatching and leaf mining by early instar larvae leading to high mortality at this stage (ca 50%). The likely causes and management implications of such findings are discussed.

Attraction and Oviposition of Tuta absoluta Females in Response to Tomato Leaf Volatiles

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a devastating pest of cultivated tomato Solanum lycopersicum throughout South and Central America and Europe. We aimed to characterize the behavioral mechanisms and the chemical cues involved in host selection of T. absoluta females by chemical analysis of tomato leaf volatiles, wind tunnel attraction assays, and oviposition bioassays. Tomato leaf odor elicited in mated females upwind orientation flight followed by landing as well as egg-laying, demonstrating the essential role of plant volatiles in T. absoluta host-finding behavior. In wind tunnel and oviposition choice experiments, T. absoluta females significantly preferred tomato S. lycopersicum over wild tomato Solanum habrochaites, which is resistant to larval feeding. This indicates that leaf volatiles provide information on the suitability of plants as larval hosts. Mated females also discriminated three cultivars of S. lycopersicum according to their volatile profiles. Headspace collections from leaves of these three cultivars contained large amounts of β-phellandrene, followed by limonene, 2-carene, and (E)-β-caryophyllene, which together accounted for more than 70% of tomato foliage headspace. Most leaf volatiles were released by all three cultivars, but they showed significant differences with respect to the presence of a few minor compounds and blend proportion. This is an initial study of the volatile signatures that mediate attraction and oviposition of tomato leafminer T. absoluta in response to its main host, tomato.

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae): A new pest of tomato in Serbia

Tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a devastating pest of tomato originating from South America has been recorded in Serbia on three localities: in tomato main greenhouse and open field production area located in the vicinity of town Leskovac (South Serbia), in surroundings of the village Donji Vrtogos (near town Vranje, South Serbia) and in a greenhouses complex in Kraljevci (60 km west of Belgrade). The presence of T. absoluta was confirmed by morphological and molecular study of the collected specimens.

Biological invasion of European tomato crops by Tuta absoluta: ecology, geographic expansion and prospects for biological control

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a devastating pest of tomato originating from South America. After its initial detection in eastern Spain in 2006, it rapidly invaded various other European countries and spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. If no control measures are taken, then the pest can cause up to 80–100% yield losses in tomato crops in recently invaded areas and may pose a threat to both greenhouse and open-field tomato production. The exceptional speed and extent of T. absoluta invasion have called for studies documenting its biology and ecology, while indicating an urgent need for efficient and sustainable management methods. The development of approaches to manage T. absoluta would be facilitated through a detailed revision of information on this pest in its area of origin. This review combines information on the invasion by T. absoluta, its ecology, and potential management strategies, including data that may help the implementation of efficient biological control programs. These programs, together with a variety of other management tactics, may allow efficient integrated pest management of T. absoluta in Europe and Mediterranean Basin countries.

Efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes against the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta in laboratory and greenhouse conditions

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an important pest of tomato crops in South America and it has recently arrived in Europe affecting tomato plantations. The susceptibility of T. absoluta larvae and pupae to three species of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae, Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) was examined under laboratory conditions. Leaf bioassays were conducted to evaluate the nematode’s capability to reach the larvae and kill them within the galleries. The efficacy of the three nematode species after foliar application to potted tomato plants was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. High larval mortality (78.6–100%) and low pupae mortality (<10%) was determined in laboratory experiments. In the leaf bioassay a high level of larval parasitation (77.1–91.7%) was recorded revealing the nematode’s capacity to kill the larvae inside the galleries. In the pot experiments nematode treatment reduced insect infection of tomato plants by 87–95%. The results demonstrate the suitability of entomopathogenic nematodes for controlling T. absoluta.

Biologia e exigências térmicas de cinco linhagens de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) criadas em ovos de Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar a biologia e as exigências térmicas de cinco linhagens de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) coletadas em áreas comerciais de tomate, no Estado do Espírito Santo, em ovos da traça-do-tomateiro Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), sob diferentes temperaturas constantes e flutuantes. A duração do ciclo de desenvolvimento (ovo-adulto) das cinco linhagens de T. pretiosum criadas em ovos de T. absoluta foi afetada significativamente pela temperatura, na faixa das constantes (15 a 30°C). Esse mesmo fato não foi observado nas temperaturas alternadas (26/14 e 29/16°C). O desempenho das linhagens nas diferentes temperaturas mostrou que L2 e L5 apresentaram os melhores resultados quanto à taxa de emergência de seus descendentes. A razão sexual das cinco linhagens foi afetada pela temperatura, havendo diferença significativa entre os valores obtidos nas faixas das temperaturas (constante e alternada) estudadas. As linhagens de T. pretiosum apresentaram uma temperatura base (tb) que variou de 8,70 a 13,45°C, e uma constante térmica (K) de 90,09 a 159,43 graus/dia.

Frações de Trichilia pallens com atividade inseticida sobre Tuta absoluta

Este trabalho teve o objetivo de identificar frações de extratos aquosos e orgânicos da meliácea Trichilia pallens, com atividade inseticida sobre a traça-do-tomateiro Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). Extratos aquosos liofilizados (EAL) a 3% de folhas e ramos de T. pallens foram ressuspendidos em água e aplicados sobre folíolos de tomateiro infestados com lagartas recém-eclodidas. Com base na mortalidade aos 5 e 10 dias após a infestação (dai), os EAL de folhas foram mais eficientes que os de ramos. Numa segunda etapa, foram obtidos, por maceração, extratos de folhas a 1%, em hexano (HEX), diclorometano (DIC) e metanol (MET) como descrito anteriormente, tendo-se incluído acetona e água como controles. Entre os extratos, o DIC foi o mais promissor como fonte de substâncias com atividade inseticida sobre lagartas de T. absoluta. Na seqüência, por meio de partição líquido-líquido do extrato DIC de folhas, obtiveram-se as frações em HEX, MET, acetato de etila (AET), n-butanol (NBU) e aquosa (AQ). Destas frações, a AQ a 0,1% do extrato em DIC foi considerada a mais promissora como fonte de substâncias com atividade inseticida sobre T. absoluta.