Optimization of a Trap for Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and Trials to Determine the Effectiveness of Mass Trapping

Abstract

Management of the South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick, with insecticides has led to the widespread development of insect resistance. Mass trapping using traps baited with the female-produced sex pheromone is an attractive alternative for the management of this pest. The current study evaluated several commercial trap designs for capture of T. absoluta. Based on its small size and ease of handling, the most effective trap is a small plastic container with entry windows cut on the sides filled with motor oil over water. These traps are most effective when placed near ground level. Tests of septa containing 0.1 or 0.2 mg of the pheromone (95:5) E4, Z8-14Ac/E4,Z8,Z11-14Ac were slightly more attractive than septa loaded with 0.5, 1.0, or 2 mg during the first week of use, but the latter three loadings were slightly more attractive than the first two loadings after 9 weeks. Ideal trap baits were loaded with 0.5 mg of pheromone. Higher numbers of T. absoluta were captured near upwind borders of tomato fields suggesting that treatments against T. absoluta should be concentrated near upwind parts of fields. Comparisons of conventional insecticide treatment versus mass trapping to manage T. absoluta damage in three different test sites showed that even when initial captures in monitoring traps were high (>35 males trap(-1) day(-1)), mass trapping at 48 traps/ha reduced leaf damage more efficiently than conventional insecticide treatment. Based on the typical insecticide recommendations against T. absoluta, mass trapping is an economically viable alternative.

Identification and Risk Assessment for Worldwide Invasion and Spread of Tuta absoluta with a Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Phytosanitary Measures and Management

“…Inductive approach guided in fitting climatic trauma functions that describe T . absoluta range boundaries and deductive procedure was applied to express parameter values based on experiments of the species feedbacks to climatic factors and phenological observations [ 7 ], [ 34 – 35 ]. Practically, the model parameters were repetitively adjusted and the function " Compare location ", which describes the potential geographical distribution of species, as controlled by weather variables was subsequently run until the estimated potential T .…”

“…Calibration of the population growth and survival parameters was manually and iteratively conducted. The exercise was guided by biological information such as developmental threshold temperatures and the species’ feedback to different levels of natural and adequate wetness parameters [ 7 ], [ 34 – 35 ].…”

Management of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Using Biopesticides on Tomato Crop under Greenhouse Conditions

“…Mass trapping is a viable alternative method (Lobos et al, 2013), however, Megido et al (2013) reported that sex pheromone-based strategy is sometimes more expensive than conventional chemical control. Therefore, the development of control strategies based on the use of bioinsecticides as alternatives to synthetic insecticides should be encouraged due to their potent effects on insect pests, low mammalian toxicity, low persistence in the environment, and biodegradability (EPPO, 2005;Khater, 2012;Koul et al, 2004).…”

Tomato Leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick 1917), an emerging agricultural pest in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current and prospective management strategies

“…Shining colors especially red has been reported to be the most attractive to T. absoluta (Taha et al, 2012). Combination of these factors have been reported to improve traps efficiency in the field (K l ç, 2010; Lobos et al, 2013;Speranza and Sannino, 2012), especially when they are combined with insect killing ingredients. Use of killing agent in combination with sex pheromones is has minor effect however when the pheromone traps used are only for disrupting mating system (Mafra-Neto et al, 2013;Gacemi and Guenaoui, 2012).…”