Population density survey of tomato lepidopteran pests by pheromone traps

عنوان دوره: دومین کنگره بین المللی حشره شناسی ایران

Pheromones are used to manipulate the behavior of insect pests; these are non-toxic and biodegradable chemicals. Tomatoes are susceptible to insect damage at each stage of growth, but usually only two or three pest species are of prime importantance in a particular season. In general, pests that damage fruit directly are potentially the most destructive. These include the lepidopteran larvae that feed on fruit. Tomato fruit worm (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner), beet armyworm (Spodoptera exiguaHubner) and tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)) are serious, harmful, cosmopolitan pests of tomato with wide range of hosts. According to determination of adult peak activity, which plays an important role in selecting appropriate methods of pest population control, pheromone traps were used as non-chemical methods to control lepidopteran pest control in a tomato field in Kermanshah, during the growing season 2014. In this study, 12 white delta traps were used for H. armigera, S. exigua and T. absoluta. Overall, 36 traps were installed randomly within a certain distance from each other on the farm. The height of pheromone traps was changed by increasing plant growth and the number of moth captured in the traps were counted and recorded. Results showed that the highest number of adults of H. armigera was observed in early August 2014, the highest density of T. absoluta was recorded in mid-September 2014 and the highest number of S. exigua adult moth were observed in early July 2014.

pheromone؛ Tomato؛ beet armyworm؛ tomato friutworm؛ tomato leafminer