Issues New Medit
Use of biorational insecticides for the control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) infestations on open field tomato
New Medit, vol 11, n.4, suppl. (December 2012), pp. 39-41
Language: ENTuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), the tomato leaf miner, is one of the most devastating pests affecting tomato crops in Italy. Management of T. absoluta was assessed in open-field tests using three biorational insecticides, Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, and Beauveria bassiana, and a combination of three synthetic insecticides, Emamectin, Indoxacarb and Metaflumizone, as a control treatment. Our results showed that only the combination of Azadirachtin – B. thuringiensis was able to reduce the impact of tomato leaf miner on the fruit’s marketable production similarly to the control treatment. This finding suggests that biorational insecticides are a good alternative to synthetic ones. Possible use of biorational insecticides in the management of tomato leaf miner in organic farming system is discussed.
tomato leaf miner, azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana
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