Pest Management Science (2019) 75, 736-743

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Leandro Bacci, Ézio M. Silva, Gerson A. Silva, Laércio J. Silva, Jander F. Rosado, Richard I. Samuels and Marcelo C. Picanço (2019)
Natural mortality factors of tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta in open-field tomato crops in South America
Pest Management Science 75 (3), 736-743
Abstract:
Background
Little importance has been given to the role of natural mortality factors (biotic and abiotic) in the regulation of tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations. The present study determined the action of mortality factors on T. absoluta populations infesting cultivated tomato crops. Eighty ecological life tables for T. absoluta in field cultivated tomato plants were constructed and analyzed.
Results
Total T. absoluta mortality was 99.08%, with 38.76% mortality during the egg phase, 57.20% in the larva phase and 3.12% in the pupal phase. The main mortality factors during the egg stage were predation, parasitism and egg inviability. In the larval stage, the main mortality factors were predation, parasitism, entomopathogenic agents and physiological disorders. In the pupal stage, the main mortality factor was predation. The larvae of the third and fourth instar were more susceptible to the action of mortality factors and the predatory wasp, Protonectarina sylveirae, was the main insect predator of these larvae.
Conclusions
The T. absoluta population is regulated under field conditions by the action of natural enemies of the larvae. The predatory wasp P. sylveirae is very important in the regulation of T. absoluta populations in open-field tomato crops in Brazil.
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Database assignments for author(s): Leandro Bacci, Gerson A. Silva, Marcelo Coutinho Picanco

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
population dynamics/ epidemiology
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Phthorimaea absoluta	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Protonectarina sylveirae (predator)	Phthorimaea absoluta	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)