Tuta absoluta

Presentation on : Tuta absoluta
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Introduction
It originates from South America and was detected
for the first time in Europe in Spain in 2006.
This newly introduced pest has spread very quickly
along the Mediterranean Basin and to other Central
and Northern European countries.

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthopoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gelichiidae
Genus: Tuta
Species:T.absoluta

Tuta absoluta
1. Described in 1917 by Meyrick as Phthorimaea absoluta from
specimens collected in Peru.
2. Gnorimoschema absoluta by Clarke 1962.
3. Scorbipalpula absoluta by Povolny 1974.
4. Tuta absoluta by Povolny in 1994.

In India
The first report of this pest in India was in October 2014
from Pune, Maharashtra by lCAR scientists. From then
on it has spread to tomato growing regions of Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karanataka
and Tamil Nadu.

Economic impact
I. T. Absoluta is considered as a key pest of tomato both
in the ﬁeld and under protected conditions. Both yield
and fruit quality can be signiﬁcantly reduced by the
direct feeding of the pest.
II. Severely attacked tomato fruits lose their commercial
value. 50 –100% losses have been reported on
tomato (mainly under low rainfall).
III. T. Absoluta is one of the major pests of foliage,
occurring in warm zones of low altitudes (below 1000
m).

Symptoms
8
 On leaves, larvae feed only on mesophyll tissues,
leaving the epidermis intact.
 Fruits can be attacked as soon as they are formed, and
the galleries bored inside them can be invaded by
secondary pathogens leading to fruit rot.
 In case of serious infestation, leaves dry completely.
 The larval entry and exit holes on the fruits are pinhead
sized.
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9
 Tuta absoluta – Leaf damage

Fruit Damage
10
Pin sized holes on
fruits

Tuta absoluta in the Calyx

Alternate host plants
The preferred host of T .absoluta is tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum). However infestation of
T.absoluta has also been reported on potato (Solanum
tuberosum), egg plant (S. melongena), hot pepper (Capsicum
annum), tobacco Nicotiana spp.) and many other cultivated
and weed hosts belonging to family Solanaceae.

Management
1. Destruction of infested tomato plants and fruits
by burying them deep inside the soil.
2. Crop rotation with non- solanaceous crops.
3. Cover nursery with pest proof net and use pest free
seedlings for transplantation.

Monitoring
Russell IPM manufactures and supplies pheromone lure, trap and complete
monitoring systems for Tuta absoluta.

Chemical control
1) chlorantraniliprole (Rynaxypyr) 10.26% OD : 0.3
ml/lit
2) Cyantraniliprole (Cyazypyr) 18.5% SC: 0.3 ml/lit
3) Flubendiamide 20% WG: 0.3 ml/lit
4) Indoxacarb 14.5% SC: 0.5 ml/lit
5) Imidacloprid 17.8% SL: 0.3 ml/lit
6) Neem formulation (Azadirachtin 1% or 5 %):- 2-
3 ml/lit

Biological control
predator:
Predatory bugs such as Macrolophus pygmaeus and
Nesidiocoris tenuis have been identified as the most
promising natural enemies of T. absoluta.
Nesidiocoris tenuis Macrolophus pygmaeus17 prabha.reddy95@gmail.com

Prasitiods
Parasitoids are the most widely used natural enemies of
T. Absoluta.
 At least two species of Necremnus have been identified in Spain
and Italy. Stenomesius spp from spain.
Necremnus spps Stenomesius spp.

Contd…
Regarding parasitoids of T.absoluta eggs, T. acheae
has been identified as a potential biological control
agent of the pest and is currently being released in
commercial tomato greenhouses.

Biopesticides:
I. Bacillus thuringiensis formulations.
II. Bassiana applications.
III. Nucleopolyhedrosis virus.
IV. Nucleogranulosis virus.

IPM for tomato
Components
1. Seed or seedling treatment with Trichoderma, Pseudomonas.
2. Solarization of seed beds and in greenhouses.
3. Use of VAM, neem cake, and other organics.
4. Use of virus disease-resistant varieties.
5. Grafting on resistant rootstock for bacterial wilt, cork root.
6. Staking and mulching.
7. Yellow sticky traps for thrips, leafminers, etc.
8. Pheromone traps and use of NPVs for Tuta, Heliothis.
9. Host free period and roguing for control of virus diseases.

Tuta absoluta

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