Eefficiency of certain insecticides alone or in mixtures against the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (meyrick)‎ under field condition, Assiut governorate, Egypt

Abstract EN

Tomatoes are affected by insect pests which reduce their quantity, quality and profitability.

The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) can cause 100% yield loss.

Field trials were conducted to evaluated six insecticides and four of their mixtures against this pest under field conditions.

The six evaluated insecticidal treatments were applied in two consequent sprays within an interval of 17 days between each, in addition to the treatment of untreated check.

The lonely or individually evaluated insecticides included indoxacarb, emamectin benzoate, spinosad, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin and acetamiprid which sprayed according to the recommendations of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, their evaluated mixtures emamectin benzoate+ lambda-cyhalothrin, indoxacarb + abamectin, emamectin benzoate + methomyl and abamectin + thiamethoxam were applied at the rate of half recommended dose of each insecticide within the tested mixture.

All the insecticides alone or in combination were significantly better than untreated check in reducing pest population.

The average reduction percentages for insecticides alone against leaf miner after first spray were 68.9, 64.9, 56.2, 50.5, 47.3 and 44.3% for emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, spinosad, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin and acetamiprid, respectively.

The average reduction after second spray for the above mentioned insecticides were 80.6, 75.2, 74.9, 72.7, 67.6 and 54.3%.

The mixture of emamectin benzoate + lambda-cyhalothrin proved to be the superior achieving reduction level of 80.6% after the 1st spray.

Therefore, this mixture may recommended for achieving efficient control of T.

absoluta in the growing tomato plants under field conditions.