Research Article
Integrated Pest Management of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in Tomato Field
Ghulam Qader Mangrio1, Arfan Ahmed Gilal1*, Lubna Bashir Rajput1, Jamal-U-Ddin Hajano2, Abdul Rauf Bhatti3, Muhammad Ishaque Mastoi3, Zakia Panhwar4 and Abdul Hayee Gabol1
1Department of Entomology, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan; 2Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan; 3National Insect Museum, National Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan; 4Southern Zone, Agricultural Research Center, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Karachi, Pakistan.
Abstract | The invasive South American leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (TLM) has recently been reported to cause serious losses to tomato in Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. Therefore, studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated management approach and conventional farmer practice (control) to restrict the economic damage of T. absoluta. The widely grown hybrid tomato variety (T-1057- Syngenta Pak Ltd.) was used in the study as two sprays of Flubendiamide 480 g/L was used in the control, whereas IPM treatment comprised of pheromone and golden colored light traps, spearmint as push (repellent) crop, garden cress as pull (attractant) crop, and spray with neem (only one spray during study) to keep the TLM infestation below threshold level. Spearmint and garden cress along with pheromone and light traps were installed since transplanting of tomatoes. The results indicated comparatively rapid increase in TLM infestation in control than IPM as two sprays of Flubendiamide were required for its management during week ten (mean infestation on leaves and fruits was 20.25±2.15 and 6.20±0.80, respectively) and sixteen (mean infestation on leaves and fruits as 15.15±1.35 and 12.75±1.08%, respectively). The maximum infestation of TLM in IPM treatment on leaves (18.93±1.84%) and fruits (8.05± 0.87%) during the week fourteen justified the only spray of neem to reduce its infestation. Thus, overall mean TLM infestation on tomato leaves and fruits over entire study duration was recorded in control and IPM treatments was 7.64±0.25 and 8.91±0.06%, and 3.79±0.15 and 2.77±0.12%, respectively. Significantly similar yields were obtained in both control (724.80±12.06 maunds per acre) and IPM treatments (736.40±10.48 maunds per acre). Overall, cost of production in control and IPM treatments was estimated as Rs.168,000/= and Rs.173,100/=, respectively, whereas total income generated Rs.652,320/= and Rs.662,400/=, respectively that resulted in almost same cost-benefit ratio of 1.00:2.88 and 1.00:2.83 in control and IPM treatments, respectively. Therefore, it is advised that adaptation of IPM module could significantly manage TLM infestation in tomatoes with less dependence on synthetic insecticides with same net returns.
Received | August 05, 2024; Accepted | November 09, 2025; Published | December 26, 2024
*Correspondence | Arfan Ahmed Gilal, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]
Citation | Mangrio, G.Q., A.A. Gilal, L.B. Rajput, J-U-D. Hajano, A.R. Bhatti, M.I. Mastoi, Z. Panhwar and A.H. Gabol. 2024. Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in tomato field. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research, 37(4): 426-437.
DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjar/2024/37.4.426.437
Keywords | Attractant, Cost-benefit, Good agricultural practices, Infestation, Leafminer, Repellent
Copyright: 2024 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Introduction
Tuta absoluta has been recently recorded from various tomato growing areas of Pakistan including Sindh province (Ishtiaq et al., 2020; Sadique et al., 2022; Gabol et al., 2023). Considering its invasive characteristics of high reproductive potential, voracious feeding, and rapid spreading capability necessitates its timely management (Jallow et al., 2020; Tarusikirwa et al., 2020; Shahini et al., 2021). Mostly the management of T. absoluta is done through the application of synthetic insecticides, but it did not get the desired results of the control of pest mainly due to the endocryptic nature of larvae that are protected insides the host tissues (Abdelmaksoud et al., 2020; Jallow et al., 2020). Moreover, the pest has also become resistant to many widely used pesticides (Grant et al., 2019; Mansour et al., 2019). Previous studies have also emphasized on the utilization of integrated approaches to reduce the infestation of T. absoluta with less or no reliance on the synthetic insecticides because of their adverse effects on the non-target organisms, human beings, and the environment (Desneux et al., 2007, 2022). As compared to open field conditions, IPM strategies were found to have achieved more satisfactory results under greenhouse conditions (Biondi et al., 2018). Moreover, recently agronomic based control management strategies involving modulation of irrigation and soil fertilization along with breeding of resistant varieties and use of various management strategies i.e., pheromone, light traps, push and pull crops, botanicals/ biorational and synthetic pesticides have enhanced the efficacy against insect pests including T. absoluta (Han et al., 2019a, b).
Therefore, a comparable study was conducted between farmer’s practice and IPM module against T. absoluta under open field conditions to restrict its infestation on tomato leaves and fruits. Moreover, the impact of the two management modules was also determined on the tomato yield along their cost benefit ratio based on their cost of production and income generated.
Materials and Methods
Study location and cultivation of tomato
The study was conducted at a farmer’s field located in the district Shaheed Benazir Abad, Sindh. The widely used and relatively resistant hybrid tomato variety (T-1057- Syngenta Pak Ltd.) was cultivated at its recommended dose of 150 grams per acre. All the agronomic practices were applied as per the recommendations.
Treatments
Two treatments were used in the study:
Experimental design, data collection, and analysis
The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design as five replications were maintained for each treatment. The size of individual replicated was maintained at 100 ft2. The data collection on T. absoluta was started since the transplanting of tomatoes by selecting five plants randomly per replication. The characteristic damage symptoms of T. absoluta were observed from all above-ground parts i.e., leaves, fruits, stems of the selected plants by counting the healthy and infested tomato parts to determine the infestation percentage using the following formula:
Damage % = (Number of infested part /total number of part) × 100
The yield data was also obtained by recording the entire harvesting of fruits from both the treatments. Moreover, cost benefit ratio was also calculated for both the treatments by using actual production and protection costs along with income obtained from the sale proceeds.
Analysis of Variance was used for the analysis of data, whereas LSD was used to separate the means with significant differences. The STATISTIX 8.1 computer software was used to carry out all the analysis.
Results
Impact of IPM and conventional farmer’s practices on the mean infestation percentage of Tuta absoluta on tomato leaves
Figure 1 describes results regarding the impact of conventional farmer and IPM practices on the infestation percentage of T. absoluta on tomato leaves. Tuta absoluta started its infestation on leaves in both the treatments from second and third week of the tomato transplantation, respectively. The initial infestation of T. absoluta recorded in conventional farmer and IPM treatments was 0.50±0.19 and 0.90±0.14%, respectively and the same showed an increase in both the treatments afterwards. Comparatively, a rapid rise in T. absoluta infestation was recorded in conventional farmer treatment than IPM treatment which reached to 20.25±2.15% during the week ten after tomato transplanting and required the application of insecticide, Belt. Due to the insecticide application, T. absoluta infestation in conventional farmer treatment drastically reduced to 5.35±0.57% within two weeks of the application, however, it then gradually increased to reach up to 15.15±1.35% during 16th week of the transplantation. A second spray of Belt was carried out during week sixteen, considering the overall T. absoluta infestation of both tomato leaves and fruits. Thereafter, a further decline in T. absoluta infestation was recorded in the conventional farmer treatment that reached to 3.13±0.40% at the end of final harvesting during week twenty-four (Figure 1).
In IPM treatment, T. absoluta infestation on tomato leaves was significantly lower than conventional farmer’s practice and the same may be because of the combined effects of pheromone and light traps along with push (spearmint) and pull (garden cress) plants. Thus, only a single spray of Neem extracts was required during the week fourteen of the transplanting when the infestation of leaves reached 18.93±1.84%. After the application of Neem extracts, a sharp decline in T. absoluta infestation on tomato leaves was recorded that reached to 13.85±1.35% during week fifteen and the same decreased gradually towards final harvesting of tomatoes during the week twenty-four (6.10±0.61%) (Figure 1). Overall, a highly significant (F= 16.36, P < 0.001) difference was recorded in T. absoluta infestation on leaves between conventional farmer and IPM treatment over the entire growth period of tomatoes.
Impact of IPM and conventional farmer’s practices on the mean infestation percentage of Tuta absoluta on tomato fruits
As compared to tomato leaves, comparatively lower level of T. absoluta infestation was noticed on tomato fruits that was first observed during week five and six after the transplanting in conventional farmer and IPM treatments, respectively (Figure 2). The starting infestation in conventional farmers and IPM treatments was 0.20±0.07 and 0.18±0.07%, respectively. Afterwards, the level of T. absoluta infestation in conventional farmer’s treatment was significantly more than that of IPM treatment. The maximum T. absoluta infestation on tomato fruits (12.75±1.08%) in conventional farmer treatment was recorded during week sixteen after the transplanting, that justified the application of synthetic insecticide Belt. After the application of Belt, a sharp decline in T. absoluta infestation was observed on tomato fruits during the week seventeen (4.75±0.49%) and the same gradually declined towards the final harvesting of tomato during the week twenty-four (2.40±0.35%) (Figure 2). On other hand, in IPM treatment, due to the combined effect of light and pheromone traps along with push and pull crops, the maximum T. absoluta infestation on tomato fruits recorded was 8.05± 0.87% during the week fourteen after the transplanting (Figure 2). Statistically, a highly significant (F= 16.69, P < 0.001) variation was observed between conventional farmer and IPM treatments in respect to T. absoluta infestation on tomato fruits over the entire twenty-four weeks of the study.
Impact of IPM and conventional farmer’s practices on the overall mean infestation percentage of Tuta absoluta on tomato leaves and fruits
Overall infestation of T. absoluta on tomato leaves and fruits observed in conventional farmers and IPM treatments is given in Figure 3. In contrast to tomato leaves, where significantly (F= 42.20, P < 0.001) higher infestation of T. absoluta was observed in IPM treatment (8.91±0.06%) than conventional farmers treatment (7.64±0.25%), tomato fruits suffered significantly (F= 51.42, P < 0.001) lower infestation in IPM treatment (2.77±0.12%) than the conventional farmers treatment (3.79±0.15%).
Impact of IPM and conventional farmer’s practices on tomato yield in response to management of Tuta absoluta infestation
Considering the significant impact of IPM practices to lower T. absoluta infestation on tomato fruits, slightly higher yield was recorded in it (736.40±10.48 maunds per acre), but the same was not significantly (F = 0.53, P = 0.4886) different from the yield obtained in conventional farmers treatment (724.80±12.06 maunds per acre) (Figure 4).
Table 1: Cost benefit ratio of tomato grown under conventional farmer and integrated pest management strategies against Tuta absoluta.
|
Expenditure/ Acre |
IPM module |
Farmer practice |
|
|
A. Cost of production |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
|
Land preparation |
15,000 |
15,000 |
15,000 |
|
Tomato Seed |
20,000 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
|
Transplanting |
2,000 |
2,000 |
2,000 |
|
Inter-culturing |
8,000 |
8,000 |
8,000 |
|
Fertilizer |
45,000 |
45,000 |
45,000 |
|
Weedicides |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Irrigation labor charges |
5,000 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
Picking charges |
30,000 |
30,000 |
30,000 |
|
Packing charges (plastic) |
5,000 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
Other expenses (transportation) |
20000 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
|
Miscellenous |
10,000 |
10,000 |
10,000 |
|
Total of (A) |
|
160,000 |
160,000 |
|
B. Cost of protection |
|
|
|
|
Neem extracts (labor charges) |
2,000 |
2,000 |
0 |
|
Light traps |
1,600 |
1,600 |
0 |
|
Pheromone traps |
8,000 |
8,000 |
0 |
|
Push/ Pull crops |
1500 |
1500 |
0 |
|
Chemical control- belt (2 sprays) + labor charges |
4000 |
0 |
8,000 |
|
Total of B |
|
13,100 |
8,000 |
|
Total cost (A±B) |
|
173,100 |
168,000 |
|
C. Income |
|
|
|
|
Yield (Maunds) |
|
736.00 |
724.80 |
|
D. Gross income |
900/Maund |
662,400 |
652,320 |
|
E. Net income |
|
489,300 |
484,320 |
|
F. Total cost: Net income Cost Benefit Ratio |
|
173,100: 489,300 1.00:2.83 |
168,000: 484,320 1.00:2.88 |
Table 1 describes the results for the cost-benefit ratio of the two treatments i.e., conventional farmer and IPM based on the actual expenses and revenue basis. It was observed that the cost of production that includes land preparation, cost of seed, labor cost for transplanting, inter-culturing, irrigation, picking of tomato fruits, along with packaging charges of plastic bags, transportation and miscellaneous were same for both conventional and IPM treatments i.e., Rs. 160,000/= per acre. However, there was a difference in the cost of protection against T. absoluta that required two sprays of Belt in conventional farmer’s treatment (Rs. 8,000/=), whereas in IPM treatment cost of protection were Rs. 13,100/= that consists of spray of Neem extracts, cost of light and pheromone traps, and sowing of push-pull crops. Thus, overall cost of production and protection in conventional farmers and IPM treatments were estimated as Rs. 168,000/= and Rs. 173,100/=, respectively. Moreover, the total income generated from the conventional farmers (724.80 maunds per acre) and IPM (736.00 maunds per acre) treatments was Rs. 652,320/= and Rs. 662,400/=, respectively, which resulted in net profit of Rs. 484,320/= and Rs. 489,300/= for the two treatments, respectively. As a result, the cost-benefit ratio for almost same for the conventional farmers (1.00:2.88) and IPM (1.00:2.83) treatments.
Discussion
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasis on the use of a healthy crop environment, incorporating all the possible measures to keep the pest population below threshold level with minimum use of synthetic chemicals, hence less risk to humans and their environment (FAO and WHO, 2014). Thus, IPM approach has also been practiced against T. absoluta in many countries of the world, mainly because it has developed resistance against many widely used synthetic insecticides (Mohamadi et al., 2017). In continuity of the same, our evaluated IPM model that comprised the use of light and pheromone traps monitoring and mass trapping of T. absoluta along with plantation of push (spearmint) and pull (garden cress) plants mostly control the development of T. absoluta infestation on tomato leaves and fruits; thus, only a single spray of Neem extracts was required to bring its infestation below threshold. It was observed in the study that pheromone and light traps not only help to monitor T. absoluta adults’ populations, but also reduce its infestation by reducing the future progeny, whereas push and pull plants drive the moths away from the IPM treatment plots.
Many previous studies also evaluated variable IPM models that have successfully controlled the infestation of T. absoluta in tomatoes. Giorgini et al. (2019) integrated various bio-control agents such as egg parasitoids and mirid bugs, Bt- insecticides, selected synthetic chemical insecticides, and sex pheromone in the greenhouse tomatoes, and found it very effective to control T. absoluta infestation better than control treatments. Another study using the integrated approach of using eight traps per feddan of sex pheromones for mass trapping of T. absoluta, along with twice sequence application of Voliam flexi 40WG (Thiamethoxam 20% + Chlorantaniliprole 20%) and Dan top 50WG (Clothianidin) during vegetative growth, Diper DF 6.4WG (Bacillus thuringiensis) during fruiting stages, performed in reduced T. absoluta infestation than the sole use of synthetic pheromones (Taha et al., 2013). The same study also reported that the number of pesticide applications were significantly lower (11 sprays) in IPM treatment than the conventional farmer’s treatment (16 sprays). Goda et al. (2015) experiments on integrated management of T. absoluta reported that the release of egg parasitoid (Trichogrammatoidea bactrae) along with mass trapping using pheromone traps (plot-B) was found best treatment in reducing its infestation, followed by application of Biotrine and Fytomax plus mass trapping treatment (plot-A), whereas control treatment with the use of synthetic insecticides was the least effective in controlling T. absoluta infestation. Moreover, plot-B also produced a higher yield with better cost benefit ration.
Buragohain et al. (2021) conducted multi-location IPM trials against T. absoluta that comprised of applications of microbial insecticides (Bt- var kurstaki and Beauveria bassiana), Neem products, and Chlorantraniliprole, a selected insecticide. The results were compared with farmer’s practice to manage T. absoluta infestation using synthetic insecticides. It was also observed in that study that at all the locations, IPM package was found equally efficient in managing the infestation of T. absoluta on leaves and fruits as the same resulted in comparably higher yields in farmer’s field plots at all the locations but the same were not significantly different from yield obtained in the IPM treatments of the respective locations. Thus, these findings support our results as the mean infestation tomato leaves were significantly higher in IPM, whereas fruits suffered significantly higher infestation in the farmer’s adapted treatment. Accordingly, the comparatively higher yield in our study was obtained in IPM but the same was not significantly different from the yield of farmer’s treatment. In the same study, significantly better returns (twice) based on the cost benefit ratio were reported in IPM treatment than conventional farmer’s practice due to excessive spraying of synthetic insecticides, but in our study, there was slightly higher returns in farmer’s treatment than IPM. The reason for such variation was mainly because Buragohain et al. (2021) included only the cost of insecticides in the calculation of cost benefit ratio between the two treatments, whereas we also included the cost of traps i.e., pheromone and light, cultivation of push-pull plants while calculating the ratio.
Another IPM model developed and used against T. absoluta in tomato cultivation in Sudan by Mahmoud et al. (2020) also supported our findings as following the suggested model, infestation of T. absoluta was reduced in the tomato that resulted in significantly lower yield losses than control treatment. The model suggested was comprised of use of two hymenopteran parasitoids and two predatory bugs to control T. absoluta larvae, use of pheromone traps and deployment of male lure Tuta optima ® in water traps from seedling till harvesting to capture adults moths to reduce their population and fruit infestation, application of Neem and Khilla leaves extracts to number of larvae per leaflet to reduce the infestation and augment tomato yield, whereas intercropping of Coriander and Fenugrik reduced T. absoluta infestation and enhance the quality and quantity of the yield (Mahmoud et al., 2020).
Although, no significant difference was recorded in the fruiting yield of IPM and conventional practices used in our study, and the same resulted in almost same cost benefit ratio between the two treatments, but it has been suggested that eco-friendly management tools that have been developed and used in various countries of the world could control it without disturbing the ecological world (Aynalem, 2018). Among the key components of IPM used against T. absoluta includes the use of cultural practices such as crop rotation, selective removal, and destruction of infested fruits (Korycinska and Moran, 2009; Han et al., 2014, 2016, 2019b; Biondi et al., 2018), use of parasitoids, predators, parasites, nematodes, and entomopathogens (Desneux et al., 2010, 2022; Ferracini et al., 2012; Urbaneja et al., 2012; Biondi et al., 2018), use of botanicals (Biondi et al., 2012a; Soares et al., 2019; Campolo et al., 2020; Mansour and Biondi, 2021), use of resistant tomato cultivars (Ahmed, 2007; Oliveira et al., 2012; Selale et al., 2017) and mating disruption and mass trapping (Roda et al., 2015; Abd El-Ghany et al., 2016; Cherif et al., 2018; Mansour et al., 2019; Mansour and Biondi, 2021) along with use of selective synthetic insecticides (Desneux et al., 2010, 2022). Thus, the adaptation of IPM strategies against key insect pests including T. absoluta could be advantageous to traditional farmer’s practices which mainly rely on the use of synthetic chemicals in reducing the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals such as environmental pollution, hazards to humans, non-target organisms including natural enemies, phytotoxicity, and development of resistance among pest species (Aynalem, 2018; Buragohain et al., 2021; Desneux et al., 2022). Although, there is lack of evidence on the economic and health benefits of the adoption of IPM models, however among the little available evidence, Cuyno et al. (2001) reported additional income of 231 to 305 pesos per person when they adopted IPM practices in onion, whereas aggregate environmental benefits in the study were estimated at 150,000 US$ for the 4600 local residents. Midingoyi et al. (2019) also reported that when farmers adapted the IPM practices in their mango orchards, especially against fruit flies they get additional benefits in mango yield, net income, less insecticide usage, improved human health, and better environment. They also found that with the practice of multiple IPM models in mango orchards, growers generate improved economic, environmental, and human health benefits, hence emphasized for the use of multiple IPM models in their farming.
Considering the diversified advantages of IPM models, Sridhar et al. (2019) also conducted a series of experiments to suggest the integrated management model of T. absoluta in tomatoes. They found that Accession LA 1940 of Solanum penellii was resistant to T. absoluta infestation, whereas B. thuringiensis, Metarhizium anisopliae, B. bassiana and M. rileyi, the entomopathogens, and egg parasitoids (T. chilonis, T. pretiosum, and T. bactrae) were determined as its key natural enemies to keeps its population and infestation in check. Moreover, installation of yellow light traps and the application of Azadirachtin 5% EC were also found effective in reducing the infestation of T. absoluta, whereas among synthetic insecticides, Spinotram 12SC was found to be very effective. Hence, an integrated model of yellow light traps, T. pretiosum, and application of either azadirachtin or Spinotram could result in lower T. absoluta populations and infestation along with better tomato yields (Sridhar et al., 2019).
Oke et al. (2020) also proposed an integrated management model according to agro-climatic conditions of tomato cultivation in Nigeria to control the infestation of T. absoluta. They reported that integration of setting water + light traps, hygiene, and six rotational applications of different insecticides with variable mode of actions i.e., Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Acetamiprid + Lambdacyhalothrin, and Novaluron+Bifenthrin resulted in a 57.52% reduction in total T. absoluta infestation, whereas the frequent application (up to ten sprays) of a systematic insecticide thiamethoxam within five weeks could not prove effective to reduce its infestation considerably.
Sex pheromones of T. absoluta has been included as an integral part of its integrated management because it has been effective for its management and mass trapping (Desneux et al., 2022; Mangrio et al., 2023). Besides, pheromone traps, golden colored traps used in the study were also found effective, not only in T. absoluta monitoring, but also help in reducing its infestation. The studies suggested that both light and pheromone traps are key in the monitoring seasonal activity of T. absoluta under field conditions in tomatoes (Salama et al., 2015; Kadel et al., 2018; Sridhar and Kumaran, 2018). Moreover, their combined use has resulted in better management of T. absoluta because moth adult males and females are attracted and captured, hence reducing the chances of the mating and future progeny (Cocco et al., 2012; Castresana and Puhl, 2017). Thus, Bloem and Spaltenstein (2011) established a modified in which they added pheromone dispenser of T. absoluta in a light traps and as a result they captured significantly higher numbers of T. absoluta moths including the females. Therefore, results obtained in our study also highlighted the importance of both golden colored light and pheromone traps not only in monitoring the seasonal variation in T. absoluta population, but also as a key element in reducing its infestation in tomatoes.
Although, push and pull concept of management has yet not been exploited in T. absoluta management, but its importance has been accepted and tested against many insect pests, especially Spodoptera frugiperda (Khan et al., 2010; Yeboah et al., 2021; Sobhy et al., 2022). Besides, S. frugiperda, push and pull strategy has been successfully used against Bactrocera minax (Cui et al., 2022), Frankliniella occidentalis (Kim et al., 2023), Empoasca flavescens F. (Niu et al., 2022), brassica vegetable crops (da Silva et al., 2022) and against fruit orchard pests (Byers and Levi-Zada, 2022). Accordingly, Giorgini et al. (2019) also suggested its use in the management of T. absoluta. Thus, it was observed that use of spearmint (push) and garden cress (pull) plants in tomatoes proved effective in diverting T. absoluta populations from the main crop, contributing in an integrative manner with other control measures to reduce T. absoluta infestation.
The Neem extracts used in our study was capable to reduce the infestation of T. absoluta as it has been suggested that azadirachtin obtained from Neem mainly effect through ingestion than contact, hence making it less toxic to natural enemies, hence is included as an essential component in IPM of many insect pests (Nisbet, 2000; Berxolli and Shahini, 2017). Studies also reported that the Neem extracts or products may have antifeedant, repellent, and toxic properties against the target pests, and the same may be responsible for reduction of T. absoluta infestation in this study after the application of Neem extracts (Cunha et al., 2006; Abd El-Ghany et al., 2018). It has also been observed that azadirachtin affects the larval development that resulted in enhanced mortality (Brunherotto et al., 2010; Tome et al., 2013; Shiberu and Getu, 2018).
Results of study also confirmed that adaptation of IPM practices against T. absoluta have a positive influence on the tomato fruit yield as comparatively higher but not significantly different yield was obtained in IPM treatment than conventional farmer’s practices. As the results of our study suggested no significant difference was observed in overall cost: benefit ratio between the two practices in managing T. absoluta. The results of Goda et al. (2015) partially supported our findings as they also recorded higher tomato yield with better returns by adopting integrated approach to manage T. absoluta in tomatoes than the conventional practices. The findings of Buragohain et al. (2021) did not validate findings of this research because they observed higher benefit (up to two times higher) when adapting the IPM approach for the management of T. absoluta than conventional farmer practice.
It is clear from the above discussion including this research that various integrated management tools have a significant role in reducing the T. absoluta infestation in tomatoes, even when applied individually or in combination. However, there is a lot of potential to explore different combinations of available management tools against T. absoluta that not only help to reduce its infestation on tomatoes to get better quality tomato fruit yield in comparison to conventional farmer’s practices. The adaptation of such IPM models could also help indirectly to conserve and improve the functionality of ecosystem by conserving the soil, increasing nutrients availability, and enhances biodiversity (Cuyno et al., 2001; Midingoyi et al., 2019). Therefore, it is suggested that an appropriate integrated approach based on all the available tools depending on the particular growing conditions of the area should be followed to get better T. absoluta management with higher yields (Muniappan, 2015; Desneux et al., 2022). However, there are still many other options that should be explored in IPM of T. absoluta as the importance of crop rotation practices using non-solanaceous crops with tomato has been highlighted as it has the potential to break the continuity of T. absoluta populations (Rwomushana et al., 2019; Desneux et al., 2022). Moreover, the removal of alternate hosts of T. absoluta, especially wild relatives of tomato, can also be helpful in reducing its infestation, because it can limit the movement and development of T. absoluta population to the next cropping season (Rwomushana et al., 2019). It has also been reported that adequate fertilization can enhance the strength of tomato plants that can be able to affect the biological parameters i.e., developmental time, fecundity, and oviposition period of T. absoluta (Mohamadi et al., 2017).
Conclusion
The adaptation of IPM practices i.e., golden light and pheromone traps, cultivation of push (spearmint) and pull (garden cress) plants, and application of Neem extracts at threshold levels, proved effective in reducing the T. absoluta infestation in tomato. Overall, comparatively higher infestation of T. absoluta on leaves was recorded in IPM than conventional farmer’s treatment, whereas fruits significantly much lower infestation in IPM. Thus, the tomato yield observed in IPM treatment was comparatively higher than conventional farmer treatment, resulting in no significant difference in cost: Benefit ratio between the two treatments.
Acknowledgments
The research is part of ALP (CS-551) Funded project
“Development of integrated pest management strategies to combat Invasive Tomato Leafminer (Tuta absoluta) in Pakistan ” implemented by teams of National Insect Museum.
Novelty Statement
Recent invasion of Tuta absoluta necessitates its timely management with less hazardous control measures. Thus, the results obtained confirmed that integrated approach using pheromone and golden colored light traps, spearmint as push crop, garden cress as pull plant, and spray of neem, when required as botanical insecticides keep T. absoluta population below threshold levels, hence ensure less dependence on the synthetic insecticides.
Author’s Contribution
Ghulam Qader Mangrio, Arfan Ahmed Gilal and Lubna Bashir Rajput: Designed the study.
Ghulam Qader Mangrio and Abdul Hayee Gabol: Conducted the experiments.
Jamal-U-Ddin Hajano and Abdul Rauf Bhatti: Analyzed data.
Zakia Panhwar, Muhammad Ishaque Mastoi and Arfan Ahmed Gilal: Wrote and finalized the manuscript.
Conflict of interest
The authors have declared no conflict of interest.
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