Economic injury level and crop loss assessment of Tuta absoluta in open-field tomatoes in Western Iran

Volume 13, Issue 2
June 2024
Pages 125-137

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.

2 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

3 School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Yunnan, China.

Abstract


The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive pest of solanaceous crop plants, especially tomato, threatening worldwide tomato production. It has been a quarantine pest for Iran since 2010. However, it is now dispersed to all the main tomato production sites across the country. To assess crop loss and determine economic injury level (EIL), a field study was conducted in a 600 m2 common research field for two consecutive years (2014-2015). Each tomato seedling (Super Strain B c.v.) was infested by different densities of the pest, including control, 1, 2, 4, and 8 tomato leafminer eggs in the first year and control, 2, 4, 8, and 16 leafminer eggs in the second year of study under cages. There was a significant relationship between the number of infested fruits and the number of leaf galleries made by tomato leafminer larvae. The EIL of tomato leafminer, according to the field experiments, was estimated to be 6.3 and 5.7 larvae/plant in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Evaluating the impact on crops and estimating the EIL are essential elements within a cost-efficient integrated pest management strategy, which provide practical tools for making informed decisions regarding the application of pesticides against T. absoluta.

Keywords

Apablaza, J., 1992. La polilla del tomate y su manejo. Tattersal, 79: 12-13.
Aslan, B. and Birgucu, A.K., 2022. Population parameters of the tomato leaf miner
Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on wild tomato. Plant Protection Science, 58(4): 315–325.
Aznar, R. V., Calabuig, A. and Felipe, C. 2010. Ecología, muestreos y umbrales de Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). Phytoma España: La revista profesional de sanidad vegetal, 217: 23-26.
Balzan, M. V. and Moonen, A. C. 2012. Management strategies for the control of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) damage in open field cultivations of processing tomato in Tuscany (Italy). EPPO bulletin, 42(2): 217-225.
Baniameri, V. and Cheraghian, A. 2012. The first report and control strategies of Tuta absoluta in Iran. EPPO bulletin, 42(2): 322-324.
Barrientos, R., Apablaza, J., Norero, A. and Estay, P. 1998. Temperatura base yconstante térmica de desarrollo de la polilla del tomate, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Ciencia e investigación agraria: revista latinoamericana de ciencias de la agricultura, 25(3): 133-137.
Bautista, R. C., Heinrichs, E. A. and Rejesus, R. S. 1984. Economic injury levels for the rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): insect infestation and artificial leaf removal. Environmental Entomology, 13(2): 439-443.
Biondi, A., Guedes, R. N. C., Wan, F-H. and Desneux, N. 2018. Ecology, Worldwide Spread, and Management of the Invasive South American Tomato Pinworm, Tuta absoluta: Past, Present, and Future. Annual Review of Entomology, 63: 239-258.
CABI. 2011. Crop Protection Compendium: Tuta absoluta. Accessed January 28, 2011.
Cely, P., Cantor, F. and Rodríguez, D. 2010. Determination of levels of damage caused by
different densities of Tuta absoluta populations (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under greenhouse conditions. Agronomía Colombiana, 28(3): 392-402.
Cherif, A. and Verheggen, F. 2019. A review of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) host plants and their impact on management strategies. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement, 23(4): 270-278.
Coelho, M. C. F., França, F. H., Cordeiro, C. M. T. and Yoshihiki, H. 1984. Biologia e distribuçao espacial de ovos e minas de traça-do-tomateiro. Horticultura Bras, 1(1): 142-145.
Colomo, M. V., Berta, D. C. and Chocobar, M. J. 2002. El complejo de himenópteros parasitoides que atacan a la polilla del tomate Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) en la Argentina. Acta Zoológica Lilloana, 46: 81-92.
Cuthbertson, A. G. S. 2020. Integrated pest management in arable and open field horticultural crops. Insects, 11(2): 82.
Cuthbertson, A. G. S. and Murchie, A. K. 2005. European red spider mite – an environmental consequence of persistent chemical pesticide application. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2: 287-290.
Cuthbertson, A. G. S., Mathers, J. J., Blackburn, L. F., Korycinska, A., Luo, W., Jacobson, R. J. and Northing, P. 2013. Population development of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under simulated UK glasshouse conditions. Insects, 4(2): 185-197.
Dent, D. 2000. Insect pest management. 2nd Edition. CABI Publishing, Cambridge.
Desneux, N., Han, P., Mansour, R., Arnó, J., Brévault, T., Campos, M. R., Chailleux, A., Guedes, R. N., Karimi, J., Konan, K. A. J., Lavoir, A. V., Luna, M. G., Perez-Hedo, M., Urbaneja, A., Verheggen, F. J., Zappala, L., Abbes, K., Ali, A., Bayram, Y., Cantor, F., Cuthbertson, A. G. S., De Vis, R., Erler, F., Firake, D. M., Haddi, K., Jamal Hajjar, M., Ismoilov, K., Jaworski, C. C., Kenis, M., Liu, H., Madadi, H., Martin, T., Mazih, A., Messelink, G. J., Mohamed, S. A., Nofemela, R. S., Oke, A., Ramos, C., Ricupero, M., Roditakis, E., Shashank, P. R., Wan, F. H., Wang, M., Wang, S., Zhang, Y. B. and Biondi A. 2022. Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta: practical implementations across different world regions. Journal of Pest Science, 95: 17-39.
Desneux, N., Wajnberg, E., Wyckhuys, K. A. G., Burgio, G., Arpaia, S., Narvaez-Vasquez, C. A., Gonz´alez-Cabrera, J., Catalan Ruescas, D., Tabone, E., Frandon, J., Pizzol, J., Poncet, C., Cabello, T. and Urbaneja, A. 2010. Biological invasion of European tomato crops by Tuta absoluta: ecology, geographic expansion and prospects for biological control. Journal of Pest Science, 83(3): 197–215.
Erdoğan, P. and Babaroğlu, N. E. 2014. Life table of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Journal of Agricultural Faculty of Gaziosmanpasa University, 31(2): 80-89.
Fathi, S. A. A. and Behroo-Benamar, R. 2015. Evaluation of the damage level caused by the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in six cultivars of potato under field condition in Ardabil region. Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture), 38(3): 25-36.
García, M. F. and Espul, J. C. 1982. Bioecology of the tomato moth (Scrobipalpula absoluta) in Mendoza, Argentine Republic. Revista de investigaciones Agropecuarias, 17(2): 135-146.
Ghaderi, S., Fathipour, Y., Asgari, S. and Reddy, G. V. P. 2019. Economic injury level and crop loss assessment for Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on different tomato cultivars. Journal of Applied Entomology, 143(5): 493-507.
Gharekhani, G. H. and Salek-Ebrahimi, H. 2014. Life table parameters of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on different varieties of tomato. Journal of Economic Entomology, 107(5): 1765-1770.
Guruswamy, M., Marimuthu, M. and Coll, M., 2023. Life‐table analyses for the tomato
leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)(Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): effects of plant genotype. Pest Management Science, 79(6): 2117-2125.
Guedes, R. N. C., Roditakis, E., Campos, M. R., Haddi, K., Bielza, P., Siqueira, H. A. A.,
Tsagkarakou, A., Vontas, J. and Nauen, R. 2019. Insecticide resistance in the tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta: patterns. spread, mechanisms, management and outlook. Journal of Pest Science, 92(4): 1329-1342.
Haji, F. N. P., Oliveira, C. A. V., Amorim Neto, M. D. S. and Batista, J. D. S. 1988. Flutuação populacional da traça do tomateiro no submédio São Francisco. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, 23(1): 7-14.
Han, P., Bayram, Y., Shaltiel-Harpaz, L., Sohrabi, F., Saji, A., Esenali, U. T., Jalilov, A., Ali, A., Shashank, P. R., Ismoilov, K., Lu, Z. Z., Wang, S., Zhang, G., Wan, F., Biondi, A. and Desneux, N. 2019. Tuta absoluta continues to disperse in Asia: damage, ongoing management and future challenges. Journal of Pest Science, 92: 1317-1327.
Hopkins, A. R., Moore, R. F. and James, W. 1982. Economic injury level for Heliothis spp. larvae on cotton plants in the four-true-leaf to pinhead-square stage. Journal of Economic Entomology, 75(2): 328-332.
Jaramillo-Barrios, C. I., Varón-Devia, E. H. and Monje-Andrade, B. 2020. Economic injury level and action thresholds for Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in maize crops. Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronomía Medellín, 73(1): 9065-9076.
Jemsi, G. H. 2006. Determination of economic injury level (EIL) of cereal leaf miner, Syrinopais temperetella Led. (Lep.: Elachistidae) in Khuzestan province. Applied Entomology and Phytopathology, 74(1): 19-31.
Kalleshwaraswamy, C. M., Murthy, M. S., Viraktamath, C. A. and Kumar, N. K. K. 2015. Occurrence of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in the Malnad and Hyderabad-Karnataka Regions of Karnataka India. Florida Entomologist, 98(3): 970-971.
Kumari, D. A., Anitha, G., Hirur, M.E., Suresh, V. and Nayak, M., 2021. Tomato
leaf miner, Tuta absoluta: A review of its biology and management. Journal of Entomological Research, 45(suppl):1050-1058.
Li, Y., Hill, C.B. and Hartman, G.L., 2004. Effect of three resistant soybean genotypes on
the fecundity, mortality, and maturation of soybean aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae). Journal of Economic Entomology, 97(3):1106-1111.
Mamedova, S. R., Guesinov, D. G., Arkcheeva L. I. and Kuleiva, G. D. 1990. The economic threshold of injuriousness in control of Chloridea obsolete. Zashchita Rasteniĭ (Moskva), (3): 42- 43.
Mansour, R., Brévault, T., Chailleux, A., Cherif, A., Grissa-Lebdi, K., Haddi, K., Mohamed, S. A., Nofemela, R. S., Oke, A., Sylla, S. and Tonnang, H. E. 2018. Occurrence, biology, natural enemies and management of Tuta absoluta in Africa. Entomologia Generalis, 38(2): 83-112.
Marcano, R. 1995. Efecto de diferentes niveles de defoliación artificial sobre los rendimientos del tomate, en diferentes etapas de crecimiento del cultivo. Agronomia Tropical, 46(2): 209-217.
Mohamed, S.A., Azrag, A.G., Obala, F. and Ndlela, S., 2022. Estimating the demographic
parameters of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) using temperature-dependent development models and their validation under fluctuating temperature. Biology, 11(2), p.181.
Mumford, J. D. and Knight, J. D. 1997. Injury, Damage and Threshold concepts. In: Methods in Ecological and Agricultural Entomology, (Eds: Dent, D.R. and Walton, M.P.) CAB International. 203-220.
Pandey, M., Bhattarai, N., Pandey, P., Chaudhary, P., Katuwal, D.R. and Khanal, D. 2023.
A review on biology and possible management strategies of tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae in Nepal. Heliyon. 9(6): e16474. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16474.
Pedigo, L. P. and Rice, M. E. 2015. Entomology and Pest management. Sixth Edition. Waveland Press Inc., Illinois.
Pedigo, L. P., Rice, M. E. and Krell, R. K. 2021. Entomology and Pest Management. Seventh Edition. Waveland Press Inc., Illinois.
Pena, J. E., Pohronezny, K., Waddill, V. H. and Stimac, J. 1986. Tomato pinworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) artificial infestation: effect on foliar and fruit injury of ground tomatoes. Journal of Economic Entomology, 79(4): 957-960.
Pereyra, P. C. and Sánchez, N. E. 2006. Effect of two solanaceous plants on developmental and population parameters of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Neotropical Entomology, 35(5): 671-676.
Poudel, A. and Kafle, K., 2021. Tuta absoluta; A devastating pest of tomato: a review.
International Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 8(5): 193-197.
Roditakis, E., Vasakis, E., García-Vidal, L., del Rosario Martínez-Aguirre, M., Rison, J. L., Haxaire-Lutun, M. O., Nauen, R., Tsagkarakou, A. and Bielza, P. 2018. A four-year survey on insecticide resistance and likelihood of chemical control failure for tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta in the European/Asian region. Journal of Pest Science, 91(1): 421–435.
Rostami, E., Madadi, H., Abbasipour, H., Allahyari, H. and Cuthbertson, A. G. S. 2017. Life table parameters of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) ondifferent tomato cultivars. Journal of Applied Entomology, 140: 88-96.
Rostami, E., Madadi, H., Abbasipour, H., Fu, J. and Cuthbertson, A. G. S. 2021. Assessment of Tuta absoluta yield loss in Iranian tomato crops. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 24: 1017-1023.
Rote, N. B., Batel, B. K., Mehata, N. P. and Shaham, A. H. 1984. Determination of economic threshold for cotton bollworms (Earias spp. and Heliothis armigera Hb.) on hybrid- 4 cotton. Gujarat Agricultural University research journal, (10): 18-23.
Sannino, L. and Espinosa, B. 2010. Tuta absoluta. Guida alla conoscenza e recenti acquisizioni per una corretta difesa. L'informatore Agrario, 46(1 S): pp.113.
Shiberu, T. and Getu, E. 2018. Experimental analysis of ecomomic action level of tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on tomato plant under open field. Adv. Crop Science and Technology, 6: 1–5.
Smith, R. F. 1969. The importance of economic injury levels in the development of integrated pest control programs. Qualitas plantarum et materiae vegetabiles, 17(2): 81-92.
Stout, Michael J. 2013. Reevaluating the conceptual framework for applied research on host‐plant resistance. Insect Science 20(3): 263-272.

Tanskii, V. I., Poloskina, F. M. and Kurdov, M. 1976. The economic threshold of population density of the cotton bollworm Heliothis armigera Hb.) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). Entomologiceskoe Obozrenie, 55(4): 737-749.
Torres, J. B., Faria, C. A., Evangelista Jr, W. S. and Pratissoli, D. 2001. Within-plant distribution of the leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) immatures in processing tomatoes, with notes on plant phenology. International Journal of Pest Management, 47(3): 173-178.
Torres-Vila, L. M., Rodrı́guez-Molina, M. C. and Lacasa-Plasencia, A. 2003. Testing IPM protocols for Helicoverpa armigera in processing tomato: egg count vs. fruit-count-based damage thresholds using Bt or chemical insecticides. Crop Protection, 22(8): 1045-1052.
Turnbull, A. L. and Chant, D. A. 1961. The practice and theory of biological control of insects in Canada. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 39(5): 697-753.
Vargas, H. C. 1970. Observaciones sobre la biologia y enemigos naturales de la polilla del tomate, Gnorimoschema absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Idesia, 1: 75–110.
Williams, L., Rodriguez-Saona, C. and Castle d, C. 2017. Methyl jasmonate-induction of
cotton: A field test of the attract and reward strategy of conservation biological control. AoB Plants, 9(5), plx032. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plx032
Zahid, M. A., Islam, M. M., Reza, M. H., Prodhan, M. H. Z. and Begum, M. R. 2008. Determination of economic injury levels of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) in chickpea. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research, 33(4): 555-563.