This document provides information on insect pests and their management in tomatoes and peppers. It discusses key pests such as aphids, thrips, flea beetles, Colorado potato beetle, stink bugs, caterpillars, and others. For each pest, it describes monitoring and scouting techniques, host plants, and economic thresholds. It also reviews various insecticide options organized by mode of action, including newer products and those approved for organic production. Overall, the document emphasizes integrated pest management approaches like cultural controls, resistant varieties, and judicious use of insecticides.

1. Insect Management in
Tomatoes & Peppers
Dr. Ayanava Majumdar
Extension Entomologist (Peanuts, Vegetables)
State SARE Coordinator (Auburn U)
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Cell phone: 251-331-8416
Email: bugdoctor@auburn.edu
AFVG Conf., February 11, 2012

2. What is it?
Potato aphid, Macrosiphum Monitoring/scouting techniques:
euphorbiae Sample ten plants in several locations
Yellow sticky traps at edge of field
Like cool, dry weather
Watch for ants and lady beetles
Green peach aphid, Myzus ET = 50% leaves with aphids
persicae
Host range: 40 host plants

3. What is it?
Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci
Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Use sticky cards (yellow, blue)
Bag and shake technique
No action threshold
Use resistant varieties (BHN 444, 589,
640, Bella Rosa)
Tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca
Host plants: tomato,
peanuts, cotton, beans Tomato spotted wilt destroys plants

4. What is it?
Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Flea beetles (many Monitor level of defoliation
species)
Sample small plants with sweep net
during morning hours
Observe activity of parasitoids, predators
(sweep net)
ET = 5-10% defoliation early season, 25-
30% defoliation mid-season
Host plants: potato,
tomato, peppers, broccoli,
cabbage, okra, etc.

5. What is it?
Colorado potato beetle, Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Start looking on border rows
Scout intensely short crop (<6 inch)
ET = 5 beetles per 10 seedling or 10%
defoliation in short crop
Larva of lady beetle
(beneficial insect!)

6. What is it?
Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa zea Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Examine green fruit, stem
terminals
Scout for egg masses or larvae
Host plants: tomato, cotton, soybean,
Use pheromone traps to detect
corn (16 host plants) first flight; ET = 5-10 moths per
night when temp. is <85F
ET is ½ if temp. is >85F
Tobacco budworm,
Heliothis virescens

7. What is it?
Southern green stink bug, Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Nezara viridula
Use a sweep net
Use pheromone trap (expensive? cumbersome?)
Intensify scouting at fruit setting
ET = 0.25 bugs per 10 plants (green fruit stage)
Host: >52 plants
Brown stink bug,
Euschistus servus Lygus bug, Lygus Stink bug feeding injury
lineolaris

8. What is it?
Leptoglossus gonagra
Leptoglossus phyllopus
Leaffooted bugs can
cause fruit drop
Leptoglossus zonatus

9. What is it?
• Caterpillars have an inverted Y
mark on head
• 4 black warts on 8th abdominal
segment
• Curl up when disturbed
• Eats leaves and fruits
• Moths can be detected using
Fall armyworm, Spodoptera pheromone traps
frugiperda • Overwinters in Gulf coast
• Host range: sweet corn, tomato,
peppers
• Premature drop & fruit rot

10. What is it?
• Polyphagous insect (tomato,
pepper, cotton, soybean,
alfalfa)
• Have many wild hosts –
lambsquarter & pigweed
• Creamish or light-green
Beet armyworm, caterpillar, 4 pairs of prolegs
Spodoptera exigua
• Black spot on thorax just above
the leg
• Early instars feed voraciously
• Moths are attracted to weak
plants
Damage to pepper plant

11. What is it?
Tomato hornworm, Manduca
quinquemaculata • Overwinter as pupae in soil
• Adults are hawk moths –
rapid flyers
• Larva has 8 white stripes on
side
• Larvae feed on foliage, then
attack fruit
• Host range: tomato, pepper,
eggplant, potato
• Repelled by marigold
• ET = >1 larva per plant

12. What is it?
• Adults resemble house flies but
have black markings on wings
• Females lay eggs on fruit, cause
dimple and rotting
Pepper maggot,
Zonosemata electa • Many types of peppers attacked
• Prefers cherry peppers
• Infested fruit turns red
prematurely
• Major fruit drop and yield loss
• Monitor using yellow sticky trap

13. What is it?
Monitoring/scouting techniques:
Minor foliar pests (ET = 5 larvae
per 10 plants)
Cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni
Easy to collect & identify – shake
and collect
Watch for sun scald on fruits, esp.
20% defoliation
Look for fecal pellets on leaves
Soybean looper, Pseudoplusia
includens

14. VEGETABLE INSECTICIDES
CAUTION:
Use of product names does not mean endorsement by university!
Use cultural, mechanical, and other pest management tactics first
Insecticide use should be last resort!
Read pesticide labels – LABEL IS THE LAW.

15. Insecticide Mode of Action (MoA)
Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC): 28 MoA classification
Sensory neuron
Inhibit enzyme that breaks
down neurotransmitter
Flow of info
Carbamates, OP (act in
the synaptic gap)
Cyclodienes,
Pyrethroids (act
on receiving neuron)
Neonicotinoids,
Spinosyn (mimic Receiving neuron
neurotransmitter)

16. Trends in synthetic chemistries
• Early insecticides were short chain>>quick activation
• New insecticides: need “activation” by insect enzyme
systems (target-specific)
Malathion
Carbaryl
Spinetoram
Chlorantraniliprole
Zeta-cypermethrin Imidacloprid

17. Review of Insecticides/MoA
(Open page 167 of Veg. Prod. Handbook)
Mode of Action
St = Stomach poison; Co = Contact poison; Sys = Systemic
action; In = Insecticide; Mi = Miticide
Arrangement: Least toxic to most toxic
Target Insects
FB = Flea beetle; CPB = Colorado potato beetle; CEW = Corn
earworm; FAW = Fall armyworm; SVB = Squash vine borer;
Aph = Aphids; Thr = Thrips; WF = Whiteflies; ECB = European
corn borer; CB = Cucumber beetle; SB = Stink bug, SqB =
Squash bug; CW = Cutworms; MGT = maggots; WW =
Wireworms; CL = Cabbage looper

18. IRAC Chemical class: 1A (Carbamates)
MoA: inhibitor of enzyme (AChE), hyperexcites insects, nonselective
Common name Product Pesticide type Oral Best against
LD50 (mg/kg)
Carbaryl Sevin D/S In, Ac (St, Co) 300 FB, FAW, SVB
Methamidophos Monitor 4L In, Ac(Sys) 16 Aph, Thr, BAW
Methomyl Lannate In, Ac (Sys, Co) 17 Thr, BAW
40SP

19. IRAC Chemical class: 1B (Organophosphates)
MoA: inhibitor of enzyme (AChE), hyperexcites insects
Common Product Pesticide type Oral Best against
name LD50 (mg/kg)
Malathion Malathion In (Co) 1000+ FB, CB, SqB,
SB??
Acephate Orthene In (Sys) 800+ FAW, Aph, Thr
Diazinon Diazinon (RUP) I (Co) 400 WW, MGT, SqB
Chlorpyrifos Lorsban 15G In (Co) 95 MGT, CW, WW,
FAW

20. IRAC Chemical class: 2A (Cyclodienes)
MoA: Block the action of neurotransmitter, hyperactivity
Common name Product Pesticide Oral Best against
type LD50 (mg/kg)
Endosulfan Thionex In, Ac 18-160 FB, SB, SqB
Thiodan (Co)
(GUP)

21. IRAC Chemical class: 3A (Pyrethroids)
MoA: Act on sodium channels (receiving neuron)
Contact/stomach: use for quick knock-down, nonselective
Common name Product Pesticide Oral LD50 Best against
type (mg/kg)
Cyfluthrin Baythroid XL In (Co, St) 1200+ ImCW, SqVB, CW, SB
Gamma cyhalo Proaxis 0.5EC In (Co) - FB, CB, ECB, ImCW, SqVB,
CW
Fenpropathrin Danitol 2.4EC In, Ac (Co, 450 ImCW, SqVB, SqB
St)
Zeta-cyper Mustang Max In (Co) 150-400 FB, CW, CB, SB, ImCW,
0.8 EC SqVB
Bifenthrin Brigade 2EC In, Ac (Co) 54 FB, CB, ImCW, SqVB, CW
Asana® XL insecticide

22. IRAC Chemical class: 4A (Neonicotinoids)
MoA: Mimic neurotransmitter at neuromuscular joints, hyperactivity
Systemic action: many weeks of protection against pests, apply early
Common name Product Pesticide type Oral Best against
LD50 (mg/kg)
Thiamethoxam Platinum SC In (Sys) >5000 Aph, FB, CB, SB
Dinotefuran Venom 70SG In (Sys) >5000 FB, CPB, CB, SB, WF
Clothianidin Belay 3G In (Sys) 4700 FB, CPB, SqB, CB
Imidacloprid Admire 1.6F In (Sys, Co, 450 FB, CPB, Aph, SB
St)
Provado F CPB, CB, Aph, Thr
Acetamiprid Assail 30SG In (Sys) - Aph, CPB, Thr
Assail® insecticide

23. Systemic insecticide (imidacloprid) reduces virus
transmission in tomatoes
Results of 1999 tomato test at Tifton, GA in terms of main plot (BHN444 resistance and
silver reflective mulch) and subplot (different length periods of insecticide control of
thrips) effects on number of thrips, % TSWV, and $ yield per acre, respectively.
BHN444-silver mulch 47 b 28% b $7,233 a
Sunny Hyb.-silver mulch 49 b 57% a $4,721 ab
Sunny Hyb.-black mulch 64 a 67% a $3,602 b
Admire + four weeks of foliar sprays 53 b 28% c $6,685 a
Admire + two weeks of foliar sprays 57 b 56% ab $6,102 a
Admire + eight weeks of foliar sprays 13 c 44% ab $5,781 a
Admire + one week of foliar sprays 70 a 58% ab $3,777 b
Untreated check 73 a 67% a $3,580 b
David Riley, UGA, http://wiki.bugwood.org/Thrips_and_Spotted_Wilt_Management_in_Tomato

24. IRAC Chemical class: 5A (Spinosyns)
MoA: Mimic neurotransmitter, hyperexcite insects
Common name Product Pesticide Oral Best against
type LD50 (mg/kg)
Spinosyn A, D Entrust (SpinTor In (St) >5000 CPB, ImCW, CEW, FAW,
phase out) BAW, CL, DBM
Spinetoram Radiant 1SC In (St) >5000 CPB, CEW, ECB, ImCW,
CL, Thr
Spinetoram (Radiant 1SC):
• Microbial fermentation derivate
• Application rate = 6-8 oz
• Preharvest interval (PHI) = 1-3 days
• Registered for many leafy veg., fruit crops, root crops, etc.
Entrust: for ORGANIC producers

25. IRAC Chemical class: 9 (new chemistry)
MoA: Unknown; selective homopteran feeding blockers
Common name Product Pesticide type Oral Best against
LD50 (mg/kg)
Pymetrozine (9B) Fulfill 50WDG In (St) >5000 Aph, WF
Flonicamid (9C) Beleaf 50SG In(St) >2000 Aph
Fulfill 50WDG (Syngenta):
• Selective insecticide for aphid control
• Good residual, rainfast
• Application rates low: 2-2.8 oz/acre product
• PHI = 0 days

26. IRAC Chemical class: 28 (new chemistry-diamides)
MoA: Ryanodine receptor modulators (acts inside muscles)
Common name Product Pesticide type Oral Best against
LD50 (mg/kg)
Chlorantraniliprole Coragen 1.67SC In (St, Co, Sys) >5000 CPB, CEW, ECB, FAW,
BAW, CL, SqVB, SB
Flubendiamide Synapse 24WG In (Sys) >2000 CEW, ECB, CL, ImCW,
BAW, FAW
Diamides:
• Rapid inhibition of feeding, paralysis
• Selective insecticides, contact/stomach action
• No aphid or mite flaring
• Appl. rate = 3-5 oz (Coragen), 2-3 oz (Synapse)
• 1 day PHI

27. Growth Regulator Insecticides
IRAC Chemical class: 7C, 16, 17, 18
Common name Product Pesticide Oral Best against Less effective
type LD50 (mg/kg)
Methoxyfenozide Intrepid 2F I (Co) >5000 CL, FAW, ImCW DBM, SqVB
Buprofezin Courier I, Mi (Co) >5000 WF
Pyriproxifen Knack I (Co) >5000 WF
Growth regulators:
• Methoxyfenozide forces molting, long-
lasting, 4-10 oz, 1 day PHI
• Buprofezin inhibits chitin biosynthesis
(homopteran), 9-13 oz, 7 day PHI
• Pyriproxifen mimics juvenile hormone
(homop.), 8-10 oz, 14 day PHI

28. Organic Insecticide Research
– Insecticide rotations
– New formulations/delivery systems
Good rotation partners

29. General IPM Recommendations
• Use pheromone traps (first detection is important)
• No substitute for scouting!
• Careful with insecticide generics (phytotoxicity)
• Rotate with newer insecticides, organic
formulations
• Apply systemic insecticides early (timely)
• Use of the SE Vegetable Prod. Handbook
• Call ACES for help in insect ID & IPM
• Subscribe to IPM Newsletter & join the Facebook
page ‘Alabama Vegetable IPM’ TODAY!

30. Alabama SARE Website

31. Join Vegetable IPM on Facebook!
Advantages: Live updates, chat with researchers,
videos and photos, IPM contest

32. The IPM Communicator
(A FREE electronic newsletter)
To signup: Email bugdoctor@auburn.edu
Or sign up today on the sheet provided!

33. YouTube Channel: ‘IPMNews’
Recorded Live in
Field!

34. ACES Website (publications)

35. Insect Management in
Tomatoes & Peppers
Questions for Dr. A?
AFVG Conf., February 11, 2012