Abstract

TRABUCO DE EVERT, Mirian Beatriz; GOMEZ LOPEZ, Víctor Adolfo  and  RAMIREZ DE LOPEZ, María Bernarda. Evaluation of plant extracts for the control of tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) growing undergreen house. Investig. Agrar. [online]. 2015, vol.17, n.2, pp.138-142. ISSN 2305-0683.  https://doi.org/10.18004/investig.agrar.2015.diciembre.138-142.

Tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is one of the main tomato pests in Paraguay, causing significant damage to crops. Current control measures primarily rely on continuous application of conventional insecticides. The use of plant extracts may be an alternative control measure instead of currently used insecticide. The aim of the experiment was to determine the efficacy of plant extracts in the control of T. absoluta in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) grown under greenhouse conditions. The study was carried out at the Hernando Bertoni Research Center, in Caacupé-Paraguay from January to May 2012. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with five treatments and four replications. Treatment consisted on Melia azedarach L., Allium sativum L., Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill., Capsicum frutescens extract with soap and a control with no treatment. The variables evaluated were number of larvae alive before extracts application, number of larvae alive at 2 and 24 hours after application, and tomato yield. Larvae population reduction were 36% and 30% respectively observed 2 hours after A. sativum and C. frutescens extract application with soap and  33% and 27% at 24 hours after C. frutescens and E. grandis extract application with soap compared to the control. Tomato yield with E. grandis y C. frutescens extract application treatments were 61.16 and 70.39 kg/plot respectively, significantly higher than the obtained in the control with no treatment which was 37,15 kg/plot. Plant extracts show efficacy in the control of T. absoluta in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) grown under greenhouse conditions.

Keywords : Tuta absoluta; tomato; plant extracts.

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