Population Dynamics of the Leaf Miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptra: Gelechiidae) and its Parasitoids on Tomato Crop in Beni-Suef, Egypt

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the most common vegetables all over the word. In Egypt, tomato is extensively cultivated and considered one of the key pillars in the agricultural vegetables production. Pests are the main obstacle facing the tomato production worldwide. The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta is one of the recent devastating exotic pests that is able to cause severe damage to the tomato crop and is very difficult to control. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate seasonal population dynamics of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta and its parasitoids as well as the rate of parasitism, the parasitoids assemblages and the relative impact of parasitoids on its population over two seasons on tomato in the experimental farm of the Agriculture Research Center, Sids in Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt. During first plantation in the first plantation, The results revealed that T. absoluta started to appear after one month from the plantation on the 3 rd August week and increased gradually to show 5 peaks in the 7 th September, 2